Harry Potter And The Fudge Grannies Quill
by whitepheonix
Summary: This story has Sex, and Conciquences, Love, and Loss, and good Hard Emotions! and hopefully a Kick Ass Battle Scene at the end! please read and review, I need to know what people think so I can make the next chapters as good as possible. this is my first1
1. Chapter 1 Out of Space and Time

Chapter 1

After Harry's turbulent journey to the borrow from privet drive he was keen to enjoy every minuet he had with the people most dear to him, he spent all day enjoying the company of the Weaslys and Hermione just happy to absorb the atmosphere, after all he may never get it again. But in secret at night he had been sneaking to the room 2 doors and a floor down from his and Ron's. He had been going to Ginny's room to spend time with her for weeks now. They had started just sitting, chatting and cuddling but the atmosphere slowly became more intimate. Harry had explored her as far as she would let him and yearned for more often but he respected her too much to push her too soon.

Over the past week Harry had been exchanging cheeky looks with her, they had to be guarded with their smiles because everyone still assumed they weren't together since Dumbledors funeral. He would throw her a naughty look and she would stick her tongue out at him playfully. It came to the Thursday and as Harry had done every night, he waited till Ron's snores were deafening and got up, put on his dressing gown and began to creep down to Ginny's room. For some reason his heart was in his mouth this time, they had grown very intimate this week, he had explored her quite thoroughly with his hands from her waist upward and she had done the same to him. But tonight seemed different. Harry pushed it to the back of his mind and put his hand on the door handle, he hesitated and then opened the door a crack, he was able to breath in her soft sent and it drew him into the room.

Ginny was on the bed she was wearing a long silken dressing gown that Harry had given her as a secret present last xmas it was a soft emerald green and draped elegantly over her legs. Although her lamp was on and some small tea lights lit she seem to be sleeping. Harry had been a long time this time Ron was having trouble with opening the window and eventually it took the two of them to loosen it. Harry stood there with his back to the door for what seemed like a long time before he found himself, and took the decision to walk forward. He crouched down beside the bed so that he could se her face level with his. She was glowing and her red hair surrounded her in louse curls. Without rising Harry moved his hand up to touch her face. At this Ginny opened her eyes slowly and smiled gently at him. She grabbed his wrist slowly but firmly and placed his hand on her waist then she rolled over so as to coax him onto the bed. Harry didn't need asking twice but he kept his cool and kept it all slow.

Harry's torso was touching hers and their feet brushed playfully Harry was looking down at her and into her deep brown eyes and he felt immersed. She broke the gaze and reached into Harry's pocket for his wand and slipped it into his hand. Harry knew what she wanted him to do and in barely more than a whisper he said "muffalto". Harry laid his wand onto her bedside table and looked again into those beautiful eyes and he leant in to kiss her. She tasted sweet and felt soft and warm, their kissing started off slow and tender and slowly became more passionate. He ran his hands up her back making her shudder with excitement and as he had done before he brought his hand round to her front and caressed her breasts through her bra. Her breathing had got fast and so had his, she replied to his actions buy running her hands up his thighs and over his hips, then slipping her hands under his t-shirt to caress and feel his body. At this Harry held her tighter, then moved his lips down her neck. He removed his hand from under her pyjama top and moved to the buttons down her front, he just touched them to start of with, this was a place they had never been before, but then Ginny made an acknowledgment that he had permission, so he slowly began to undo them pushing the two sides of her clothing apart he finally got to see her flesh, very pale but totally smooth and delectable, he had stopped and was just looking at the sight he had just discovered, so Ginny decided she would give him a helping hand, and undid the last 3 buttons to show her front, her trouser bottoms upwards Harry looked on even more entranced as she did this. Ginny then put a hand on his face and brought her mouth up to his. Harry rolled to bring his knees between hers. Supporting his weight on his elbows. He kissed her passionately but slowly and ran his hand down her shoulder and arm pulling her dressing gown and pyjama top off she arched her back so that he could pull it from under her, pressing her breasts into his chest. Harry then put his hand to rest under her back over her bra clasp. She could feel his growing erection though his shorts up against her inner thigh and found it satisfying. Harry undid her bra clasp making Ginny jump. At this point Harry realised that she was shaking slightly and looked into her eyes sympathetically he took her arms against his chest and laid his forearms from her elbow to her shoulder holding her in and warming her. She looked up at him scared.

"Harry" she whispered shakily " do you love me?"

Harry looked deep into her eyes and the words came easily

"I do, I do love you Ginny, my Ginny "

She grabbed the collar of his t-shirt and pulled him into passionate embrace. Before she knew it she had pulled off his shirt and he had slipped off her bra. They were bare flesh to bare flesh, and it was glorious it felt so right, they fitted together and they felt smooth and warm against each other. Moments later they were lying with nothing on but Ginny's French knickers and Harry's boxers.

They whispered sweet nothings into each other's ears

"I love you Harry" Ginny whispered as he reached down between her legs

"I love you Ginny" Harry replied as he shifted his fingers under her underwear.

He felt her and she was wet with excitement at this discovery he looked into her eyes playfully

"Do I excite you Ginny weasly?" he said in a light tone.

Then Ginny suddenly reached her hand inside his boxers and grabbed his penis, which was long wide and hard as rock.

"Do I excite you Harry potter?" Ginny replied to him with a very cheeky look

Harry smiled and went back to kissing her. He slowly slid off her knickers and as he did Ginny slid off his boxers. They were lying naked in bed together. Harry shuffled up slightly so that the tip of his penis brushed her entrance, Ginny gave a s small gasp as if to say "not yet" Harry understood this and lead his lips down her neck once more till he had his lips round her nipple and was sucking on it, playing with it with his tongue and biting it gently. Ginny's heartbeat was so fast he could hear it, and she gasped and flinched with every movement his mouth made. His fingers played around her entrance until he slid a finger inside her making her yelp in surprise and delight and slight pain.

"Oh Harry she whispered in his ear. At that moment she grabbed his cock and moved her hand up and down making Harry gasp and gape for breath.

He couldn't control himself any longer he quickly moved back up to her entrance pulling his cock out of her hand and using his pleasuring hand to guide his tip to the right place. He stopped, and almost panting he looked into Ginny partly terrified face. And with his free hand touched her cheek and said in an amazingly controlled voice for his state

"I love you, and I will love you forever……….. Are you ready?"

There was a pause while Ginny ran through her mind, that this was the man she loved, and she was dieing to show him that, and she wanted it as much as he did. But it was going to hurt it was really going to hurt, on the other hand she trusted Harry completely to stop if she needed him to.

"Yes Harry I am ready"

He looked down then back up to her face " this may hurt"

She looked at him trustingly "I know"

With one sharp thrust Harry pushed himself into her and Ginny grabbed him and dug her nail s into his back yelping in pain "oh stop" she said shakily and squeakily. Harry felt her shaking almost violently under him her breathing fast and irregular gasping and gaping tears ran down her face and into her ears. Harry froze afraid if he moved he could hurt her more. He said almost hurriedly

"What do you want me to do?"

Ginny stuttered between gasps "just slowly…. just gently"

And so Harry continued, pushing his pelvis up against her. It was a feeling so fantastic he had to really fight to control his pace and contain his strength, they both breathed rhythmically to his thrusting

Ginny felt pain and crushing with every thrust but somehow no matter how much it hurt she still yearned for more, but she longed for the pain to be over.

"Cum quickly my love please" she said in a stifled cry eyes tightly shut

"Not just yet, not just yet" was his reply

And then Ginny felt her pain take a lesser place and pleasure was welling up inside her Harry felt this and pushed deeper into her bringing his head down beside hers so she could hear his panting in her ear and then as he felt her come to climax he released his and at that Harry through his head back and felt as if they had slipped out of time and space and they were one for a moment, surrounded in a halo of pleasure Harry's breath was whipped from him and as the orgasm faded away he let out his breath. He opened his eyes and brought his head down to Ginny's, mouths open and panting they touched foreheads. Then Harry relaxed onto her body , being careful not to squash her.

Once his breathing had settled which wasn't long he was after all quite fit he looked into Ginny's face once more, her expression a picture of relief. They lay like that for what seemed like long minuets until Harry sighed.

"Are you ready?" he asked

"yer" Ginny replied

Harry withdrew himself and Ginny flinched. He rolled and lay next to her. Again they seemed to lay like this for some time calming down with every breath. Harry turned to look at Ginny see seemed to be doing the same thing he was, just trying to take it all in. she looked over at him and smiled. He put his arm around her shoulders and she rolled so that she had her head on his chest. She could still hear his heart not fast but strong and forceful. Then lying like that they fell into a blissful dreamless sleep free of worry and responsibility and fear, all that existed was the two of them and nothing else.

As the sun rose at about 6 Harry woke. He looked over at the vision of beauty beside him the sun caught her hair and made it glisten. He slowly and carefully lifted her head off his chest to free himself. Then as quietly as he could he pulled on his boxers and shorts and then put his dressing gown over is shoulders. He stuffed his t-shirt in the pocket and then picked up the silken green dressing gown form the floor where it had been tossed last night. He laid it over her and she stirred slightly but didn't wake he kissed her on the forehead lovingly and then turned to go.

As he closed the door behind him he was only half on this planet he walked up the stairs as if he were floating and before he knew it he was in his bed in Ron's room (Ron still snoring so loud he could shake the tiles off the roof!) and all he had to do was wait till mrs weasly's familiar knock came on the door to wake them up.


	2. Chapter 2 A painful good bye

Chapter 2

Harry had been visiting Ginny's room every night since that Thursday evening; they would lay for a long time afterwards whispering sweet nothings to each other. Harry was cautious though he knew that in a matter of week's, maybe even days he would go, disappear and possibly never come back. He was cautious to not make any promises he couldn't keep. He never spoke of a future together, he only told her about his feelings for her right now in this time, and his feelings were that he loved her, and that he would love her for the rest of his life. At any given moment he would be willing to die for her. Those nights were perfect and trouble less.

Bill and Fluer's wedding was fast approaching and Harry knew that as soon as the ceremony was over he Ron and Hermione would go, and not stay for the reception. They knew that the longer they stayed the more danger they put the people around them in. Harry was growing more and more attentive to his surroundings as they days went by for some reason. He seemed to be noticing things more, being more observant, like the fact that the Weasly's kitchen floor was made of York flagstones! He had never noticed this before? Why hadn't he?. When he mentioned it to Ron, Ron's reply was

"You're a bloke mate we don't have to go round noticing things, that's woman stuff!"

This got a venomous look from Hermione over the lunch table. Harry had also begun to notice that Arthur Weasly was receiving a lot of letters almost every day, the addresses all in the same handwriting and the same green ink. Fred eventually blurted out one morning as another letter arrived

"Aren't you popular dad!"

Arthur looked sheepish and mumbled "lot of work at the ministry at the moment, important stuff"

Harry thought little more of it after that; he was busy enjoying a family life even if it wasn't truly his.

Time passed sun and rain came and went. Ginny got what molly called a nasty flu, but she seemed to be on the mend, Harry only went in to kiss her goodnight over that time, she really needed the rest, after all, the lack of sleep he caused her was probably a contributory to her getting ill. But she was up and about now, and seemed a bit brighter and was eating small amounts with the family again, which Harry decided was a good thing, because she had got a bit thin for his comfort.

Further days past and the house seemed to be growing with excitement about the wedding, furious dusting and cleaning schedules were being laid out for the entire household. And molly seemed to busy herself cooking all day despite the fact the wedding wasn't for a fortnight yet. Harry wondered whether she might be practicing for when the time came. As she even gave Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny the job of 'washing the shed!'

"Why the hell does the shed need 'washing'?" Ron protested! "The wedding is not going to happen in the shed, and couldn't it just do with a brush off?"

But unfortunately Mrs Weasly had become really quite good at persuading her children to do exactly what she wanted when she wanted and so they continued from that point with new found motivation. The cleaning of the shed didn't take long to evolve it to little more then a soap sud fight involving sponges and water charms! The shed did get cleaned in the end, although they were all really quite wet by the end of it all!

Slowly the weather seemed to turn and the once endless sunshine that they had in the evenings was on the decrease and the end of summer was coming quite near. On one rainy morning Harry had woken up early before everyone else and so he was creeping down the stairs to get a glass of water when he heard voices in the living room. Harry froze at the bottom of the stairs, he could tell it was Arthur and molly and he had to strain to hear them talking. Molly was pleading with Arthur and Arthur seemed to be reluctant to do something.

"Arthur please, I have done it, and I think it is time we told her, she is a young woman now she has the right to find out!" Molly pleaded

"Exactly molly, she is only young, she wont have to worry about this for years yet hopefully"

"You know as well as I do, that that is not the only problem what if …………. What if……" Molly stammered.

"Its ok molly moo, she will be fine, should something happen, then we will do what is best when the time comes, but for now lets leave her mind at ease"

What? Harry thought! Who what? When? What? what were they talking about? What has Molly done that this other young woman hasn't? Aha! Was this the mystery pen pal that was sending Arthur Weasly letters? A neice perhaps? The possibilities were streaming though Harry's mind. Then Molly came into the kitchen looking slightly flustered, and Harry had tried to make out as if he had just come down the stairs.

"Oh hello love," she said a bit surprised?

"What's got you up so early? Couldn't sleep?"

"yer" Harry replied "just woke and couldn't nod back off"

"I suppose you have a lot on your mind as well?" Molly said fishing for information because she knew nothing of Ron and Hermione's plans for the future.

"yer I suppose" said Harry vaguely

Mr Weasly was putting his coat on and managed a quick and cheery smile (if a bit forced) to Harry as he left through the back door. Harry was so vacantly distracted by this; he hadn't noticed that Mrs Weasly was holding out a mug of something hot out to him. When he broke his stare he looked down and took it quickly and apologetically.

"Thank you" he murmured

Then he turned and went back up stairs to Ron's room where he waited for it to be a sensible time to go down for breakfast.

When Ron had woken up and there was a bit more life in the house, Harry and Ron went downstairs for some breakfast.

"Right miserable fucking day in't it" said Ron grumpily

Suddenly a towel shot across the room knocking Ron in the back of the head

"Language!" barked molly

At that point Mr Weasly came back into the room and took off his wet coat. Mrs Weasly gave him a sympathetic smile. Then he turned to the table full of his family and smiled, he sat down at the head of the table and said in an upbeat fashion

"So what have we got for breakfast then? Ooo eggy bread my favourite!"

Molly put a sympathetic hand on his shoulder as she passed by behind him.

"Hang on who's missing? George, where's George? Arthur announced

George came stumbling down the stairs, and everyone looked at him.

There was a silence for a moment "what?" George said affronted

"Nothing come sit down son," said Arthur

George gave everyone a strange look and sat in his place next to Fred

Mr Weasly cleared his throat and everyone sat up and took notice

"Now then kids, I know we are all very busy at the moment with the preparations and all but, I am afraid mum and I have had some rather sad news,"

Everyone shuffled and leant in to listen

" Aunt Alushia passed away in the early hours of this morning, I received on owl"

There was quite a long silence before Fred asked the question that was on everyone's lips

"Not to be rude, but who is aunt Alushia? I don't mean to be disrespectful, but have we ever met her?

"Fred" Ginny hissed at him, kicking him under the table.

"whaa? I only asked!"

Arthur thought this was a good time to explain

"She was not your aunt fair enough, she was mum's, mother's mum's sister's daughter……….. I don't know what that makes her to you? But she always signed letters to us as aunt Alushia or …. Ummmm …"

At this point molly piped up but her words were sad and distant

"She was always fudge granny to me"

There was another long silence while the complicated terms sank in. Then Fred blurted again

" So what she die of then?"

Ginny slapped her hand to her forehead in exasperation at Fred's actions. Molly spoke again, this time in a more understanding controlled tone.

"She was quite old, and she had been ill for a long time love, we were getting letters from her and her carers and she was ready to go, it was time"

Mr Weasly took over the sentence

"Now then family I know that this is a hard time but we really need to go and pay our respects, I am sorry to leave you all like this but we have arranged a portkey, and mum and I will go tomorrow. We will only have to be gone a few hours."

There was a short moment while they took all this in then Ginny asked,

"Why do you need a portkey? Why cant you just appirate?"

"Aunt Alushia lived in Switzerland love" molly replied

"Oh" said Ginny

"Right well busy busy busy! Aren't we troops! Lets get to work! I think the roof demossing is off the list with this rain isn't it lads!" Mr Weasly said addressing Harry and Ron "how bout you rub some bees wax into the kitchen table and chairs ay! There that's a good job for you to do!"

And so at this the house sprung into action again, everyone had jobs to do and things that they would rather be doing! But they got on with all there chores without the slightest complaint because molly was clearly a little delicate. The next day as planned molly and Arthur came down stairs in black and left early. The family got on with the chores they had been left with, and finished in good time, good enough time to have a mess about game of Quidich!! Well a sort of, mixed game, of a sort of, something, it was mainly trying to fly around not getting hit by anyone else really! Great fun!!!

Days passed and molly was delicate for a few days, which everyone respected, but she was soon, back to her bright busy self. The wedding was in 3 days time now. Harry hadn't been to visit Ginny at night for a couple of days. His night times had been to busy plotting with Hermione and Ron the plans for when they left. Ron and Hermione seemed to have all the answers, whereas he, Harry the only one leading them on this suicidal trip, seemed to have none, no words of comfort or certainty for them. But he knew they didn't really expect it from him, so he told himself it was ok.

The night before the wedding came and all the future preparations were made as far as they could tell. Harry Ron and Hermione had all their plans made out, all the tools they needed, and the recourses they could want. But still Harry felt like he was missing something, something huge. Harry promised Ginny that he wouldn't go to her after midnight; he thought that it was unfair for him to keep her up for night after night. But this night was different it was 1.30 and there was no way he was going to sleep, he had laid there for hours and he hadn't felt the slightest bit tired. so he got up and went down the narrow stairs to the 2nd floor. Ginny's door draw him like a magnet but he got to it and stopped, he almost turned around and went back to bed, but then without him really asking it to, his hand rose to the door handle and slowly turned it so as to not wake her. He looked over to her bed and she sat up.

"Harry?" she said confused "what are you doing here?"

"What are you doing awake?" he chuckled

" I couldn't sleep… you haven't come to me for days Harry Potter?"

Harry closed the door behind him and went to sit on the end of the bed.

"I have been very busy……….. Ginny I'm…"

But Ginny had rushed forwards and put a finger over his lips to stop him stammering. He stopped and looked into her eyes. Ginny shuffled closer.

"I know what you are going to say Harry… your leaving aren't you"

Harry looked down pained he couldn't bear that she had guessed.

"yer" he managed to say in a small stifled word

There was a silence where Ginny looked down at Harry's hands like he was. She reached out and slipped her hands into his. Harry looked up at her once more.

"Ginny I'm sorry I have to go, I can't stay here continuing to put you all in danger. You are going to go back to Hogwarts and you are going to have a good year and learn lots of interesting stuff ok?"

By the end of this sentence he was almost crying a lump had jumped up into his throat and he could hardly talk. Ginny squeezed his hands and rubbed them between hers. Harry was a bit comforted by this, and the lump was lower down in his neck and was softening a bit. She smiled softly and then she said in a bright tone,

"Oh I have something for you! Is kind of a present"

She swung her legs out of the bed and knelt on the floor, she pulled the bottom drawer from her bedside cabinet out, and emptied It, then she pulled at the bottom and it opened up to show a small compartment in the bottom of the drawer she pulled something out that Harry couldn't quite see, the room was after all, quite dark. She got back to sitting on the bed, this time she was also above the covers and so she was closer to him. She leant over and turned on a bedside lamp that glowed softly. Then she handed it to him, a small roll of parchment.

"What's this?" Harry asked as he unravelled it "its blank? Is it like the marauders map?"

"Kind of" Ginny replied, " it is more like the tom riddle diary"

"What!" said Harry alarmed dropping it!

"No, no its ok really, its totally safe its called talking paper"

"How do you know it is safe where did you get it from?" Harry asked uncertainly

"Actually it was a gift from dad and I think this is what he meant it for," Ginny said "what you do is write on it and then it will also show up on my piece and I can reply to you" she pulled an identical parchment from behind her.

" We will have to careful though gin"

"Yes I have thought of this to, the magic is untraceable but we should never use names, not of people or places or anything"

Harry reached his hand up to touch her face playfully

"Then what will I call you oh sexy one?"

Ginny smiled " well I thought of that to! I am going to call you 'J' for James"

Harry pushed Ginny gently down till she was laying flat on the bed with him on top stroking her hair.

" And what will I call you?" he said playfully and Ginny giggled "hmmmm? I think 'M' is good," he continued.

"Oh yer? And what is 'M' for then?" Ginny looked at him enticingly

"Mine of course!" said Harry sticking his tongue out at her and going then stifling her giggles with a passionate kiss. Their lovemaking went on until they had got close enough to be satisfied. They lay together panting and totally absorbed in there love for each other. Then a pang of responsibility hit Harry in the chest like a bullet. He rolled over and sat up on the bed looking down at his feet.

"I'm sorry Ginny, I should go now"

"I understand" she replied

He then suddenly leant in and kissed her hard, then he put on his t-shirt and shorts, and without looking back he left the room, shutting the door behind him.

Ginny lay there for a moment, half expecting him to come back in, she wanted him to, and although that goodbye was quick did it make it more painless? Oh please, please come back please. She lay there for a long time wishing so hard she was shaking, but he didn't come back that was it. The tears crept up on her she had been fighting them down, but they took over her body and she rolled onto her side and curled up fighting with each gasp each cry, she stuffed her covers into her mouth so that she could bite down and didn't scream from the pain. She cried till she was tired and then she just passed out, slipping into a headache of a sleep. And the darkness of loss came crushing down onto her and all went blank.


	3. Chapter 3 The pain of others

Chapter 3 

The next morning came. The house awoke in a flurry of activity, and that day spun past in a buzz of stuff and people and excitement………. and terrible disaster.

It came to 11.55pm. Mr and Mrs Weasly, Fred, George and Ginny were all sitting in living room of the burrow. Silence fell over the room like a thin sticky blanket, as if it were made from spiders silk. This silence seemed deafening, and it seemed to have glued everyone in position, no one had moved for some minuets. There was a lot of slow thorough thinking going on. Harry Ron and Hermione had disappeared into the night, Bill and Fleur had married, and the ministry was down, Voldermort had won hadn't he? Surely he had, but somehow everything seemed to be maintaining itself, maybe there was a future after all. Somehow these events had slowed everything down. Ginny could count at least 3 to 4 seconds between every tick of the clock, but maybe she just felt this. There was a lot to think about, and a lot to take in, a lot to accept.

"I think……….. I will go to bed now" Ginny said in a small voice but in the silent room it felt like screaming. Mrs Weasly looked up and half-heartedly smiled as she went back to looking at her own hands again.

Ginny climbed the stairs and got ready for bed, but she didn't do any of it consciously, she was on total autopilot, her mind was far to busy to do menial tasks. She slipped into bed lay on her back, and in the darkness her mind began to run away with her. Where was Harry? Was he ok? Did they get away? How would she know? What about Ron and Hermione? Where they ok? Had they been captured? No that was silly, they would have heard about it surly. Ginny's mind was spinning so fast it made her so dizzy she felt really sick. Then for no real reason panic struck her and she sat up suddenly and turned her bed side light on, she was panting with fright and her face was white as chalk, she was shaking and sweating, as if she had, had a bad dream, but she hadn't slept at all, it was just her own worries that were frightening her. She couldn't see what tomorrow was going to hold. Was there even going to be a tomorrow? No one knew the answer to that question; it would be impossible to tell. Her bed was too soft. She knew that people all over the country right now, were suffering being tortured and dieing. She slipped out of bed dropped to her knees hard onto the floor. She crawled on her hands and knees, because she had not the strength to stand, she made her way to the edge of the rug that covered most of the surface of the room, she peeled it back in her fingers and the underneath was dark in comparison to the floor that was usually exposed. She ran her hands over this unfamiliar surface. The floor was splintery and shards stuck into her fingers and palms, but she didn't flinch, not even a bit, she looked at her hands, they were far more damaged then they should be, and all she could think was that this was nothing compared to the pain of others right now. She lay down on the hard floor and stared at her ceiling. Slowly she cooled on the uncomfortable surface and eventually, when the emotional pain had exhausted her, she fell into a crushing sleep.

Light came though the window very early and hit Ginny who was still lying in the same position on the floor, her body was cold and stiff, her face was white and thin. If you didn't know, then any onlooker would say she was dead, but she still breathed, small and shallow, but there was some breath there. She opened her eyes slowly to see her left hand, red and sore in front of her. Her joints felt unmoveable, but somehow she sat up. Her hands were swollen and looked infected, this seemed a bit extreme, they only splinters, her head was banging, and her back felt like a board. She felt she had done some justice by her sole, by doing this. She stiffly stood up; she wobbled as all the blood rushed from her head. She sat on her bed and rummaged in her toiletries bag, pulling out wipes and tending to some of the wounds on her hands. She didn't want the wounds to go away, but she felt like she had the right to stop them from getting much worse, she used some "Dora's Delicate Disinfectant" which stung and was refreshing, Ginny felt better after this. Her mum would not notice now, and she felt a bit cleansed by the experience.

After she was done she sat on the floor leaning against her bed, looking out of the window at the sky. There was little in her head at this point, but she felt it was a good thing to do. Then she didn't know why, but she broke her stare and looked over at the small alcove in her bedside table. There, minding its own business was the scroll, the talking paper. Ginny's heart leapt, but she froze and didn't move, slowly she reached a hand out to the paper and unrolled it over her knees. She stared at the bank page for a moment. Then grabbed a book to lean on and a quill from beside her. Her hand hovered over the paper. What could she right? Then she just began

"_J are you there_?"

She waited a second but no reply came

"_This is M. we are all ok my parents and siblings are fine. We are all uninjured_"

She waited again what else could she say

"_I miss you, and I worry about you. Where you are? what you are doing? Are you in danger? Of course you mustn't answer any of my questions. But I love you J. I do truly. Write to me when you can, I will come back at 8.30 try to be safe my love, _

_Your M_"

Ginny couldn't think of anything else that would go into words, there was a lot that wouldn't, but she put the parchment back in the alcove, laid down her quill and went back to watching the sky.

Breakfast was quiet; there was a lot of detritus they had to clear up. The wedding marquee had to go, and all the rubbish needed dealing with etc. Mrs weasly got the family started on it as soon as they had finished. No one was really talking much yet, but the atmosphere was a bit better. Its true when they say, things will look better in the morning, and they did. The family were outside collecting glasses and stacking chairs in the marquee, when an owl hooted outside. Everyone looked up at each other, and then all at Arthur who promptly ran outside to collect whatever it had for them. He ran back in.

"Its from the ministry" he said tearing it open 

"It reads: _Dear Employee_

_You may have heard that there was some disturbance at the ministry last night. We want you to know that there is nothing to panic about, and we would like you to come in for business as usual starting on Wednesday of this week._

_Many Regards _

_The Ministry Of Magic"_

There was a pause

" Is that it?" Blurted Fred " is that all they can fucking muster up! 'Some disturbance'!"

Then George joined in "could have at least said it was a dragon attack or escape or something! Honestly these people have no imagination!"

"Now boys" said molly walking over to Arthur to read the letter

"Do you think it is a trap of some kind?" she said to him

" I don't know molly moo, only way to find out, is to go in and get on with it I think" and at this, he stuffed the letter in his pocket.

"Right then troops!" he said brightly "lets get this place cleaned up and ship shape shall we!"

Mr Weasly seemed to be very encouraged by this piece of news, and to an extent the atmosphere over the burrow lifted. Maybe it was the not knowing that was the frightening part, maybe the fighting and dieing is not so bad.

That night the atmosphere was motivated between the family, they all ate a good super (even if Ginny pretended to, for the most part) they all went to bed early deciding that they were tired from the days tidying.

As soon as Ginny had closed her bedroom door behind her, She ran to the parchment by her bed, and quickly unravelled it. 8.30 had come and gone, had she missed him all together? Would he have written at all? Was he even still alive?

She read what she had written this morning, and look! there was something there, there was!!!

"_Hello are you there_?

_Hello?_

_Never mind, you can read this later. M my beautiful M, we are ok in fact we are really quite comfortable. Glad to hear you and company are ok. I love you. Please don't loose hope my love, I will write again soon_"

This made tears flow down Ginny's face but sweet relief was hers, and for the first night in 3 days she slept soundly, dreaming of her love. Maybe the present was not so bleak after all.


	4. Chapter 4 A beautiful gift

Chapter 4 

A couple of days passed over the Burrow. Mr Weasly went to work on the Wednesday as planned, and returned with lots of interesting news about the changes and what was happening at the ministry. The time for Ginny to go back to school was fast approaching, but she hardly seemed to notice that. She hadn't heard from Harry for a few days now, but she thought of him often.

Mrs Weasly had decided that it was unsafe for Fred and George to travel into London every day to their shop in Diagon Ally. And much to their protest, put a sign up in the window saying that they were still operating their mail order service. And it seemed to be busier than ever! Fred and George seemed to have a real talent for this whole business thing.

One rainy morning Ginny went down stairs after having packed all her stuff in her trunk ready for going back to school. She wondered casually into the living room where Mrs Weasly sat sewing and repairing clothes. Molly looked up and smiled at Ginny who smiled back.

"You all packed and ready for tomorrow love?"

"yer just the last little bits to go in now" Ginny replied

"You managed to get it all in the trunk?" said molly making convocation

"yer no problem, I even have some space to spare"

There was a short pause where Ginny picked up a thin pair of trousers from the 'To Be Fixed Pile' at Mrs Weasly's and fumbled them over in her hands, her hands had almost totally healed now, although it had taken a long time for them to do so, she had always been a relatively slow healer, but there must have been something funny in the splinters coz these had taken forever.

"Oh ginny your hands love? What happened?"

Oh god, think fast Ginny thought!

"Oh its nothing they are almost better now, I just tripped in the corridor upstairs and put my hands out to save myself, silly isn't it."

Mrs Weasly seemed to accept this,

"Ok love, your right, they are on the mend aren't they" she smiled and then continued sewing.

"Listen Ginny love," she began "I got a letter today, it was from some of Fudge Grannies people in Switzerland, they have sorted out her will. And she has left you something love."

Ginny looked up surprised

"But I hardly knew her? I don't think I even met her did I?"

"No love, but you are a lot like her in a lot of ways, and I always sent her photos and things of all the family at Christmas and birthdays and things."

Then molly rummaged in her cardigan pocket and pulled out a fat envelope.

"Here you go love," she said handing it to Ginny

"You go away and open that now, she meant it for your eyes love, she left me a couple of bits and pieces but this was specifically for you."

Ginny looked at her mother slightly confused, then without uttering another word, she slowly got up and made her way to her room.

Ginny sat down on her bed and felt the letter with her fingers. The name and instructions were written in the same green ink and scrolled handwriting as the other letters were leading to her death. The letter wasn't heavy but it was thick. Ginny turned it over and began to open it. Another smaller envelope dropped out and a piece of neatly folded parchment was in there to. Ginny unfolded it and read:

Hello Ginny 

_You probably don't remember me. In fact you may not even know who I am. Its sad isn't it, that lots of people get discovered at the event of there own death. I came to see you very briefly as a child. You were only a tiny baby when I last saw you. I had stopped off in Britain on my way to Iceland from Italy (I like my travelling I've been all over the world!) and your mum met me for a butter beer in Diagon Ally in London she probably doesn't even remember such a tiny event, but I do. I bet you have grown up to be a stunning young woman, you were a beautiful baby. All the time I spent with you, you were fascinated with my quill you played with it for all the time I was with you. And so I am leaving it to you. It is a very special quill this Ginny, very special. I was given it as a present from a tribesman in Africa, it is the feather from and Aquanix, a very rare bird now sadly probably extinct, they are allusive so difficult to find. This quill is flexible, it can be crushed and squashed and bent and it will never break. Look after your self my darling Ginny. I must go, now because I have one last place that I need to explore and that is where I go after death. One more existing adventure!_

_From Aunt Alushia_

_(Fudge Grannie!)_

Ginny turned the letter over in her fingers looking for more writing, it seemed like a very short letter to sum up someone's entire life. But there was no further writing. Then her attention went to the smaller envelope, she picked it up and looked at it. Surely a quill wouldn't fit in there even if it was tiny and flexible, it would have to be totally bent in half to fit in there. She cautiously opened the top of the envelope half expecting this 'invincible' quill to be in many pieces. But it sprung out of the envelope.

"Wow" Ginny breathed

She had never seen anything so unusual, what an amazing feather. The texture, the colour. It was like a swan feather it was really big, it was the most beautiful black blue green, and it glinted in the light. But it had long tendrils as well like a peacock feather but these were an electric blue and were striking against the solid black behind it. Ginny pulled the quill out and began to examine it further. The tip was quite heavy and clearly solid silver. The nib reached up the shaft of the feather in an elegant point and it sparkled with what Ginny recognised as opals. The tip of the feather sprouted into an eye, a bit like a peacock feather but really quite different somehow, Ginny couldn't put her finger on it. The way the light shone over it made it look like it was blinking, which made Ginny look twice. What a beautiful gift. Ginny carefully put it back into its envelope, and then placed this and her letter from fudge Granny back into the bigger envelope. She carefully tucked this in the pouch on the inside of the lid of her trunk. Someone out there remembered her, and it felt really good. With this newfound mood she went back downstairs to enjoy the time she had left with her family before she returned to school, after all they loved her to, and time is precious.

The next day as planned she went with all the family to Kings Cross, caught the train, and went on to Hogwarts. They got there, and had the feast, and the first years were sorted. The processes were all normal and the events were all familiar. But at Kings Cross there were ministry men who looked like bouncers or hit men or assassins. The Hogwarts Express was only a 3rd full, and the great hall was peppered with empty seats. Ginny had unpacked, and all the first day events were over. People were all downstairs in the common room catching up, Luna was explaining to a first year the importance of nargles. But Ginny sat in the window of her dormitory, looking out at the sky. She had fudge grannies quill and the talking paper in her lap. She was not writing, she was just drawing swirls and small pictures she didn't have the words to write anything. As she did this, her mind wondered through the stars to her precious lover. She didn't know where he was, or what he was doing but her mind was at ease because she knew he loved her, no matter where he was he loved her.


	5. Chapter 5 Oh god, what am I going to do?

Chapter 5 

A few weeks passed. And the weather continued to change. It was now clear that the nights were moving in. There was a sombre tone over the castle. A lot of people had mourning to do, and relatives to worry about, and so there was a lack of laughter in the castle corridors. Ginny had a particular feeing of isolation, despite the fact that she always had her best friend Luna (but Luna was distant to be polite, and lost to be honest). People kept asking Ginny questions, most she couldn't answer, about Harry and Ron and Hermione, but the ones about her family and the ministry movements she did her best to answer truthfully. She was receiving letters every day from her parents giving her updates as accurately as they could, these rarely put Ginny mind at ease.

One night Ginny sat in her dormitory sitting at her desk. Luna hadn't come up to bed yet; she was often late to bed. And so Ginny felt it safe to get out the parchment and have a go at getting a response.

"_Hello J are you there_?"

Ginny waited a moment

"_Hello M_"

Ginny gasped with existent, she had never managed to coordinate with him before

"_Hi! Have I caught you at an ok moment my love_?"

"_Of course I would always make time for you!" _Came the reply_ "I was just reading through a book for some information_"

"_Oh is it anything I can help with? There are a, lot of books here?"_ Ginny said trying to be helpful

"_No its ok, this book has all the answers just cant find the bloody things"_

" _Ha ha" _Ginny wrote, she couldn't believe that she was talking to him, all be it in a strange way, but there he was. As he wrote his next reply she traced his words with her finger, and she could feel him applying pressure to the paper, for a moment she felt like she could reach through the paper and touch his hand.

"_So what have you been up to? Is the blonde vacant one ok? How about everyone else"_ Harry asked

"_Well the blonde vacant one is fine, and everyone here is too. Lots of people have not come back though. Must think it is safer at home. I went to go and visit out friend in the hut. Do you know who I mean?"_ Ginny wondered how they were going to talk about people and this was obviously it.

"_yer I know the guy, tall fella, makes lots of tea"_

Ginny was thrilled that Harry had worked out that she was taking about Hagrid it was like a strange game of guess the mystery person!

"_Any way I went to go and visit him and he told me about a new game, that is played on the back of a hippogriff! Well its not new, its 200 years old, but it is to me! He said he would teach me and………"_

Then Harry interrupted her _"I love you, you know that?"_

Ginny stopped and looked lovingly at the paper. " _I love you too,"_ she wrote "_more than anything"_

Then she heard some footsteps outside coming up the stairs 

" _I have to go there is someone _I _coming I love you be safe I love you I love you!"_

" _Love you too, you be safe as well"_ came the reply, then Ginny quickly rolled up the parchment and saw the writing disappear as she did so. She then stuffed it in the drawer of her desk. Luna came through the door looking at the ceiling. If she had been a second sooner she would have seen the paper and although that on its own wouldn't have been suspicious the enormous magical quill would be.

"Did you know that all the ceilings in this castle are different?" said Luna, amazingly vacantly.

"What? Oh? Are they? Right,….You ready to go to bed then?" Ginny replied

"Yes ok" Luna said dreamily.

So they got ready and went to bed and as Ginny lay in her 4 poster. She felt like she had a hot water bottle in her chest, she had not felt this good for weeks. "I love you know that" he had said, he loves me. She slipped into a deep sleep and dreamed about Harry and a possible future of them together impossible as it seemed to be, one can always dream.

Several days passed and Ginny caught the occasional note from Harry. She went down to Hagrid's hut a few times. This game he had mentioned had intrigued her, and so he was introducing her to a nice friendly hippogriff called Fru Fru! That she was getting on quite well with and had started riding. But the rules of the game seemed complicated and quite dangerous, so she and Hagrid had thought they had better keep it a secret that she might start going to training.

After a few more days had passed Ginny was starting to get a little concerned. She had not had a "time of the month" for quite some while. She was over a week late. She had not been having any "feelings" to suggest anything, but she was going to give it another 3 days she decided. Then that would coincide with a Hogsmeade visit day, and she could get something then, but she was quite sure it would not come to that.

The three days came and went, and her mind became more preoccupied with it. She told herself a long string of reasons why it could be just a gap. She had gotten very thin, several people had noticed it, and she had gotten thin through worry about her family and everything else that was going on around her that could easily cause it. She had had that terrible flu in the summer holidays, maybe this was just her body catching up. There could be endless reasons. The Hogsmeade trip came and she said to Luna that she had to buy some ointment because she had a veruca on her foot. This put Luna off enough for her to agree to meet her in the pub later. Ginny had never really been in to the shop at the end of the high street. It was small and people had said that the woman who ran it smelt funny, so Ginny had always got to Madame Pomfrey for all her medical needs. She went in the door and saw stacks upon stacks of tiny shelf's each holding minute bottles and boxes containing all manor of things, there was a pretty woman with long dark hair at the counter being served, by a really craggy old woman.

Ginny walked up and down some of the lines of medicines. She eventually found "Maternity Products" all kinds of things were on those shelf's "sing to your baby" a book of songs to make them better at charms and transfiguration. "See your baby" a small card that you stuck to your stomach to view your baby in the womb. Ginny looked at some of these things in horror, they were frightening to her and daunting. Then right at the bottom on the closest shelf to the floor she found them, "Pregnancy Test Strips" she picked one up and examined it. The packet was tiny, no bigger than a strip of chewing gum. She turned it over in her fingers and scanned over the instructions, they seemed simple enough, and so she went to the counter to pay. The shopkeeper had disappeared and the pretty woman was still standing there waiting. Ginny realised as she went to stand next to her to queue, that she was holding a baby. The baby was coughing and seemed excused. The woman was comforting him

"Oh poor love what a nasty cough, yes what a nasty cough you have"

Ginny looked at the baby and smiled then the woman looked over at Ginny.

"They all get it don't they, oak cough" the woman said casually to Ginny

"Oh yer" Ginny said coming back to earth

"They all have it at the nursery, pass it around between them don't they." Then she addressed the baby

" Yes you all pass it around between you don't you! Its good to share isn't it? Ha ha , good practice for later on" the woman said jokingly

Then the shopkeeper came though to behind the counter again and handed over a bottle to the woman,

"Twice a day, 3 drops no more!" croaked the old witch

"Thank you" said the lady politely, and she began to put it into handbag and rummaged around.

" Can I help you" said the shop keeper behind the counter towards Ginny.

"Oh… No … sorry, I think I will come back its nothing serious." And at this, Ginny hurriedly left the shop stuffing the tiny packet into her pocket. She had just got spooked, that was all she just got spooked she told her self.

As planned, Ginny met Luna in the pub and they had a nice drink and a chat and then headed back to the castle, as they walked up the corridor toward Griffindor tower Ginny stopped.

"I just remembered I have to go to the library and get out a book for transfiguration" she announced suddenly

"I also need to go to the loo so I will meet up with you later ok?" she said

"yer ok" said Luna " see you later" she said as she walked on

Ginny turned and headed towards the girls bathroom. She knew this one was often unoccupied it wasn't near anything important or regularly visited so people didn't use it much.

She went in and she took the packet from her pocket, she looked at it and her heart began to thump in her ears. She turned it over to read the instructions again

_Make sure forearm is clean and clear of any makeup or excess oils._

_Wet the underside of the arm where the skin is thin and soft. The _

_Wetter you can keep it, the better and quicker the test will work._

_Remove protective film from pregnancy test strip and place onto skin_

_Writing will appear with the answer to your query._

Ok, Ginny thought here it goes. She put the test down beside the sink, and began to wash her arm. She did it for some time because she didn't want a false reading. When she had made the place almost sore with her scrubbing, she ran it under the tap once more so that water gathered in droplets on her skin. She grabbed the strip and went into a cubicle and locked the door behind her.

Ginny slumped onto the floor leaning against the sidewall because it was clean and she was shaking a bit too much to stand. She unwrapped the strip and peeled away the clear protective film. She swallowed she was a massive lump in her throat and placed the strip onto her arm. She saw it soak up the water, and the small strip of parchment like paper turned a greenish colour. By this time Ginny's heart was in her mouth and she was dizzy coz she breathed too fast. Writing came up saying "_Pease Wait a Moment"_ Ginny gave a shaky frustrated sigh and she waited for what seemed like an age. The writing came up the answer "_you are pregnant 100 sure_" Ginny stopped breathing and stared at it. Her mind was blank for a few seconds. Then it hit her in the stomach like a mallet. And she couldn't keep it down; she leant over the bowl of the toilet and was sick from the shock. She knelt like that for a while looking into the toilet. She grabbed some toilet tissue and wiped her mouth still leaning over just in case there was more. Then shaking all over she lifted her head to look at the painted white bricks behind the toilet. Tears began to stream down her face. She said quietly in a stifled cry

"Oh my god what am I going to do?"


	6. Chapter 6 she was dieing quickly

Chapter 6 

Ginny came out of the cubicle some minuets later white as a sheet. She went to the sinks and scooped up some water to wash out her mouth out. She had to have both hands on the sink to steady herself she looked in the mirror at her pale face her brown eyes looked black against her skin. She turned round so that she was leaning against the sink. She looked down at the tiles on the floor. What did she do now? She thought. Who should she tell? Should she tell anyone? Maybe she needed to let it sink in a bit first before she started going mad and upset. She took a deep sigh closed her eyes and let her head tilt back; she stayed like that for a moment while she steadied her breath. Then she turned round and took some makeup out of her bag. She patched herself up put a mint in her mouth and then took a deep breath before leaving the bathroom with the test paper safely in her pocket.

After that she lost track of where she went. She just killed time until she went back upstairs to the dormitory where Luna was sitting at her desk.

"You were a long time could you not find what you wanted in the library?" Luna said cheerfully

"Oh no, turns out I was looking in completely the wrong section I forgot to look for 'T' as it is 'The book' of such and such, so spent ages getting cross looking in the wrong bit" Ginny tried to sound up beat.

"Actually Luna I'm a bit tired do you mind if I go to bed? I think it is the cold weather its tiring me out"

"yer ok I was finished really anyway" said Luna

And so they went to bed, but that night Ginny didn't sleep much, she was too worried about what she was going to do now. She was carrying Harry's baby, Harry's baby! In less than 9 months time she would be giving birth to Harry's baby!. What would her parents say? Would they be happy that it was with the man she loved? Or disappointed that it was an accident and she was so young?. What was Harry going to say? Oh god what was he going to do? Maybe she shouldn't tell him? No that's stupid, can't just not tell him! Stupid stupid idea. Eventually she drifted off a bit just in time to get woken up the next morning.

She went through the day not eating and not concentrating. When Luna asked her if she was all right, she said she was just feeling a bit ill that's all a little under the weather. The school day came to an end, and Ginny couldn't remember any of the classes she had had or what she had to do for homework. She went towards Grifindor tower with Luna and when they got into the common room, Luna stopped to read the notice board, and Ginny went on up the stairs. She found herself quite suddenly weak for some reason; she struggled to muster the strength to open the door to their room. The room was spinning and she felt so hot. She was sweating and so she began so strip off, she began to change out of her robes, and put on a dress that was the easiest thing to put on and her fingers were so weak she fumbled with the buttons for a while. She had taken her shoes off. and then slumped on the end of her bed shaking and shivering with her head in her hands trying to calm herself down, but the room was swaying increasingly and she was feeling more and more sick.

Then again she couldn't hold it down, she stumbled to the bin and emptied her stomach of what little was in there. At this moment Luna walked in.

"Oh Ginny are you ok! Hang on stay here" said Luna in her most urgent fashion and she rushed out.

Ginny knew this wasn't just morning sickness nothing that simple, this was much more serious, she couldn't control her shacking now and the sweat was dripping off her nose. Then Madame Pomfrey came bursting into the room.

"Oh dear a bit of food poisoning I think, come along then"

Madame Pomfrey seemed to scoop Ginny up under her arm by the shoulders then began to march Ginny away. Before she knew it she, was going around the corner of one of the main corridors in the school. There were black flashes going in front of Ginny's eyes and then she lost the strength to walk, and stumbled over her feet to the ground.

"Oh dear!" said madam Pomfrey "nasty case this one, don't worry sunshine soon have you better"

Ginny wanted to say that she didn't think it was food poisoning, but her breathing was too irregular to talk and then with a flick of Madame Pomfrey's wand Ginny was levitating alongside her as they marched towards the Hospital Wing. When they got in, she was laid out on a bed and by this time Ginny was coughing a bit and shaking violently. Her dress was starting to show sweat marks all over. Madame Pomfrey looked worried. Ginny was deteriorating extremely quickly, a few minuets ago she was fine, she cast a few healing charms and tried to give Ginny some potion, which Ginny couldn't swallow. Then Madame Pomfrey dashed away, leaving Ginny alone in the bed. Then very shortly she came back with Professor Mcgonagall. Ginny couldn't really see them; the room was just a flurry of black and white flashes with the occasional painful red one. She could hear their voices though.

"I don't know what's wrong Minerva, I've tried everything can think of, this is really serious"

Then Ginny coughed spattering blood all down her front. Her shaking had escalated to almost fitting; her hearing was starting to become garbled. It felt like she was being stabled all over her body. Her dress was soaked in her sweat and blood now and she began to claw at it because she was so hot she was desperate to cool down. Professor Mcgonagall rushed forward to hold her hands up to stop her hurting herself Ginny didn't really know what she was doing at this point the pain was taking over . Madame Pomfrey started to unbutton the dress in a desperate attempt to cool her down. As she peeled it open she gasped, the two women stepped back in horror. There was a black/purple rash on Ginny's sides and it was running in veins slowly across her body as if it had a life of its own, it looked like it was clawing its way up towards her chest. You could see it moving with the naked eye. Ginny cried out in pain.

"Stay here do what you can I will send for help!" Madam Pomfrey said hurriedly and she ran out.

Mcgonagall sat down on a stool next to Ginny who was dribbling small amounts of blood from the corner of her mouth, and crying in pain. Mcgonagall rolled up her selves and closed her eyes, she put her hands over Ginny's body about 2" away from her skin. She began to make an incantation that was very fast and incredibly complicated; she made wiping motions over Ginny. The rash would recede slightly under Mcgonagall's hands, but it was like trying to brush away water, it kept flowing back again. Ginny was dieing she was really dieing and it was happening fast. Then the pain got too much and Ginny lost the fight to keep consciousness and let go.


	7. Chapter 7 sweet relief

Chapter 7

Ginny had fallen into darkness, she couldn't see, she couldn't feel. She was just a drop of nothing in endless space. Was she dead? But then she began to feel again. She could feel her arms and her legs and she knew she was lying down. Slowly as the feeling returned to her body, so did the pain. Her skin felt like it had been burnt and her body was like a bruise under pressure. She slowly opened her eyes. Her vision was blurred and she looked up at the roof above her. She was in a room with a high ceiling from what she could tell. This place was dark but she could make out shapes. She looked around to see that she was in what looked like a curtained cubicle. This was not the hospital wing, and this was not Hogwarts. She blinked to clear her vision a bit, and realised that a bright whitish figure was sitting next to her. She blinked again to try and bring them into focus. It was a woman, from what Ginny could see. She looked like a nurse but she couldn't quite tell. The woman had a long scarf around her head and hair that flowed all the way down her back. Her skin what almost white with a blue quality to it. She wore long shimmering silk robes of a soft turquoise colour. Then Ginny looked further at the woman's face. Her features were big but perfect and smooth; there was not one crease on her face anywhere, making Ginny look wrinkly in comparison. Then the woman's head turned to look at Ginny's face. And Ginny was entranced; this mysterious woman had no pupils' only huge icy blue irises.

"What happened? Where am I? Who are you?"

Ginny struggled to get the words out she didn't seem to have enough breath to talk

"shhh lay still Ginny Weasly I will explain every thing. You are in a special ward in st Mungo's in London, you are safe here. May name is Aralniya and I am one of the opal folk, you may have never come across one of my kind before, we are quite rare now"

As Aralniya said this she was smiling softly at Ginny and so she felt comforted by this. Aralniya's voice was deep and echoey, not very human at all, but she seemed to be a friend so far.

"You came in to us in quite a state Ginny Weasly. You owe your life to Madame Pomfrey's quick actions; a few more minuets and you could have died. Your parents came in as soon as they heard. But I told them you needed your rest and that I would take very good care of you"

Ginny felt quite pleased her parents weren't there, she was carrying a very big secret and she didn't want to face them with it yet.

"We now come to what is wrong with you Ginny Weasly"

As Aralniya said this she took Ginny's hand in hers, and began to stroke it.

"I am afraid we have discovered that you have got the condition CMBD or Chronic Magical Breaking Disorder. Do you know anything about the condition Ginny Weasly?"

Ginny shook her head, this sounded bad and she was scared.

"Don't be afraid Ginny Weasly I will tell you everything you should know for now. But I will send you away with some information that you can read."

Ginny was somewhat comforted by this, but still dreading what Aralniya was going to tell her next.

"You will have been bourn with CMBD Ginny Weasly, you have had it all your life and never noticed. But I am sorry to say that you will have it for the rest of your life aswell, we cannot cure you. CMBD is part of the fabric of your being, it runs though every magical connection and in every cell of your body. Any possible fix would kill any patient. You have had what we call a 'breaking episode', and these are usually caused by a hormonal change, so around puberty, and various other times only women can get it"

Aralniya stopped and looked at Ginny. Ginny knew that Aralniya was fishing for information but Ginny kept her mouth shut.

"I am can make you feel better Ginny Weasly but I am going to use some very strong magic, and this is not a long term treatment, but it will save your life this time. There are long-term treatments that you can use if you have another breaking episode, or a hormonal change is happening, and I will give the instructions to Madame Pomfrey, but any competent wizard can do it for you. They are invasive and primitive, because your condition is incredibly rare, and so the skills for caring for it are not very developed. I have only treated 200 other people like you Ginny Weasly, people from all over the world, the last one I treated was 80 years ago."

Ginny realised that this meant that Aralniya was incredibly old, ancient.

"Now then Ginny Weasly we have other things to consider in your treatment. Because you are pregnant with Harry Potters baby aren't you."

Ginny lay there shocked for a moment!

"How do you know!? Who else knows!!" wheezed Ginny now more scared than ever before, what if everyone knew and she hadn't had the time to explain or anything!

"I know because your thoughts, are my thoughts Ginny Weasly. And it seems to be almost all you think about right now"

Aralniya gave Ginny a cheeky smile

"No one else knows but you need to tell him Ginny Weasly, Harry potter has the right to know that you carry his child, you will need vigorous and regular treatment through out this pregnancy. It is not going to be easy, so you need to stay strong. The more people know about the pregnancy the more danger you put yourself and them in. I cannot tell anyone for you I have taken an oath that had me bound to secrecy on pain of sudden death"

"That seems a bit harsh," said Ginny

"Ha ha I took it over a thousand years ago Ginny Weasly. People were harsher with their punishments back then, than they are now."

Ginny smiled but then flinched in pain she looked down at the purple black rash on her body then away again, it was too painful to look at.

"I think that our time for talking as come to an end now Ginny Weasly I will make sure you have all the information you need. I am sure you will get a letter from your parents very soon, and I think you should send a comforting one back to them. Your lover should be told as quickly as possible about the gift you carry. Now then, you will be in bed for a couple of days. When you wake up you will be safely back at Hogwarts."

Then Aralniya leant forward and gave Ginny a kiss on her forehead all pain drained away from that small area

Ginny wanted to jump up and hug Aralniya she had so many things to thank her for. Ginny's mind was at ease she had everything she needed to do laid out carefully in her mind, and that was something that no one else in the world could have given her, the comfort of certainty

But before Ginny could tell Aralniya any of this Aralniya had put her hands out in front of her, hovering over Ginny's body Ginny felt relaxed instantly.

"Good luck Ginny Weasly we will meet again soon I am sure"

Then to Ginny's surprise Aralniya's hands began to glow blue and then brighter and brighter. The room around them seemed to darken and again Ginny slipped away from her physical body again to become a comfortable drop of nothing in nowhere, which for now was a peaceful place to be.


	8. Chapter 8 The Esben Method

**Chapter 8**

Ginny was lying motionless in the hospital wing. She looked small in the bed, and the thin sheets hardly rose up from the bed over her tiny body. The hospital wing was quiet and Madame Pomfrey was folding sheets on the opposite bed to where Ginny lay. Ginny was pale and every minute or so Madame Pomfrey would go over and check her pulse and breathing. Madame Pomfrey didn't look tired; she must have had someone help her with this over the night, she couldn't have done it alone.

Early morning sunshine began to stream through the tall high windows of the hospital wing, and the light shone down to the floor in shafts. Ginny slowly began to stir and come round. Madame Pomfrey ran over to sit by her on a chair next to the bed.

Ginny felt so weak she could hardly muster the strength to lift her eyelids, but as she did, she became more aware of her body, and it was free of pain. She blinked slowly swallowed and looked around. Her mouth tasted of a foul mixture of blood and vomit. She rolled her head to look at Madame Pomfrey.

"Hello Ginny love, how are you feeling?"

Ginny took a deep breath because she was so used to not having enough breath to speak

"My mouth tastes like shit"

Madame Pomfrey frowned at Ginny's language but then said

"Ok that's no problem I will go get you something for that"

Then she scurried off for about 30 seconds and come back with a glass of pink glittery liquid

"Here wash you mouth out with this lovely"

Ginny took the glass, and took a swig, it was strong and it seemed to get into every corner of her mouth. Then as Madame Pomfrey supported her she leant over to spit it out in the sink that was next to her bed.

"Thank you that's much better"

"That's good, its good stuff this 'Crylic mouthwash' you need a medical licence to get buy it"

Madame Pomfrey was clearly tiring to have a 1 sided conversation, but Ginny didn't mind this, the effort to speak sapped what little energy she had, so she was happy to listen to Madame Pomfrey talk.

"You gave us quite a scare yesterday Ginny, there's not often I come across something I cant fix, and I am so sorry about the bad news you got last night it must be quite a shock. Anyway Araniya left me some things for you to read, some of them seem to be ancient but she picked them out herself so I suppose they have all the information you need in them. You also got this, this morning"

Madam Pomfrey produced a letter from her apron pouch and placed it in Ginny's lap.

"I will leave you to read that for now, have you got everything you want?"

" Yes thanks" Ginny crocked

Ginny sat up a little and shifted her pillows a bit and then turned her attention to the letter on her lap. She broke the wax seal on the back and the letter sprung into life. The envelope became a pursed mouth and it spoke with Mrs Weasly's voice

"Oh Ginny, Ginny! Love we are so so sorry love, we should have told you ages ago" the letter was shouting and crying which was a bit strange most howlers were angry but this one was distraught!

"Oh Ginny I can't tell you how sorry we are love, when fudge granny died I wanted to tell you, but we thought the chances of you having it to were so small. Ooohhhhh!!! 'Sob sob' I'm so sorry Ginny this is all my fault. I should have got you tested the same way I was at your age. OOOHHHHH!!!!!! 'Sniffle sniffle' we will come and see you any time love you say the word and we are there you hear me!. I was so upset when we didn't get the chance to talk to you yesterday you looked so ill in that bed Ginny we thought you were going to die! That woman! that blue thing! was the one who made us leave, I think she cast a spell on us with her hypnotic eyes so we would be no bother to her"

Then another voice butted in

"Molly that woman saved our daughters life we are forever in her dept!"

Then there was another cry from molly as her voice disappeared into the distance

"What mum is trying to say love, is that we are really sorry, we hoped that because mum didn't have CMBD when she was tested and fudge granny was such a distant relative you would be safe from this terrible condition. So for that love we are sorry and we blame ourselves for allowing this breaking episode to happen, we just didn't want to worry you love. And it is true what mum says we will come and see you at any time, you just say the word, but we know that you don't really want us at school cramping your style. Do send us a letter back though love, and tell us how you are getting on. We love you lots. Stay strong Ginny love."

And with that the letter dropped onto the bed totally still. Ginny had mixed motions she wanted to laugh at her mothers hysterical ness but she was also livid that they had the potential to know that all along that she could have CMBD and she wouldn't have had to go though any of that. But she took sadistic glee in the fact that they had been punished enough for it, by being told to leave St Mungos last night and then the not knowing for a few hours whether she was alive or dead, that was punishment enough Ginny decided.

After reading this letter Ginny's strength had run out, and she dropped off to sleep again, she didn't even have the strength to shuffle down her pillows and she fell asleep in a slumped sitting up position.

When she woke again, the light in the ward had changed and as soon as Madam Pomfrey saw that Ginny was awake she rushed over.

"Are you ok love can I get you anything?"

"No I think I am ok, I am feeling a bit better, could I have some water actually? And what time is it please?"

"Of course you can have some water, and it is about lunchtime."

"Thank you"

Ginny looked down to the bottom of the bed and she saw she had several envelopes on the small bed table over her feet, along with a box and a pile of what looked life leaflets an a book. When Madame Pomfrey returned with a glass of water, Ginny asked if she could have the table closer. So Madame Pomfrey moved it up so that Ginny had it over her lap. She looked at the pile of stuff in front of her for a while. Then she picked up an envelope. There was no address, just her name so it had been hand delivered. She peeled it open and pulled out a card that had a large bright Griffindor scarf picture on it and a snitch that circled the lion in the middle. She opened it up and it was signed form the whole quidich team with silly messages like

"_Maybe we can claim injury time on you next time we play"_

And 

"_She's so fit she's so fine! Se can get us injury time!"_

These made Ginny chuckle a bit, but she had never heard of getting injury time in quiditch that was surely a rule from another game she thought. She opened more and more. There was one from Dean and then one from Luna aswell with a strange poem in it. one from her mum and dad (this one was not crying though thankfully) there were some from individual members of the Quidich team as well, and people in her year. As she read them she began to deduce that no one knew what was wrong with her, only that it was originally food poisoning but she ended up in St Mungos last night, but no one knew why. Ginny decided that she would tell her nearest friends what was really wrong but she would keep it between them. She didn't want anyone's pity or special treatment. And her nearest friends would know better than to treat her as if she were made of glass. Then she started to open the parcel but her fingers weren't strong enough.

Madame Pomfrey watched Ginny for a moment from across the ward. Ginny was looking at her hands flexing them and clenching them, as if she thought she could make them stronger. Madame Pomfrey walked over to give her a hand. She took Ginny's hands in hers and looked at her.

"Don't worry love, your fingers will get stronger. Let me give you a hand for now Ay"

So Madame Pomfrey helped her to take off the wrapping and then pulled open the lid a bit for her.

"There you go love"

"Thank you"

Said Ginny as Madame Pomfrey walked away again. Ginny lifted the lid and lifted out a piece of paper. The piece of paper was covered in photos of Fleur and Bill in front of their new home 'shell cottage'. The house looked beautiful, and they looked so happy. It comforted Ginny a lot that out of all this pain and misery and difficult decisions, there were still some things that were simple. Bill and Fleur loved each other, and that was simple, and they were living in there own house together, that was simple to. Then Ginny looked into the box. She pulled out a large shell that was bright perlecent blue it had a tiny note attached

"_Found this on the beach one evening about 100m from the house which is rare as we have cliffs so not supposed to be good for shells, but this is a one off"_

Ginny thought it was beautiful and put it on the table next to her. She then reached in again to pull out a jar of sweets. The idea of actually eating them made Ginny's stomach turn over but they looked pretty. There was also another card in there saying '_sorry you are not well get better soon'_. 

Ginny was starting to really enjoy her post when she got to the leaflet on the top of what she assumed was Araniya's pile of things for her. Madame Pomfrey was right, they were ancient leaflets and the pictures were so old that there were etched prints not moving photos. She opened it up and began to read

T_he condition Chronic Magical Breaking Disorder (often known now as CMBD) was first diagnosed in the early 1600s by a polish healer named Van Craddic Montdoon. He diagnosed a teenage girl who later died only hours after her illness first showed any symptoms._

_Even now in this hip and modern age! we still know very little about the condition due to its rarity. It is rare because it is only hereditary and is found only in women, although it can skip generations; it is therefore rare for any sufferer to have children, as the hormonal change would cause a fatal episode. _

_Some research was done to try and prevent this. Christopher Esban a healer in the early 1800s was a pioneer in his field. His wife was a sufferer and the story goes that the only thing they wanted in the world was a child. But due to his wife's CMBD this was not possible. Esben did some dramatic experiments and eventually with the loss of 3 pregnancies and almost his wife aswell, he came up with a way to maintain the patient until childbirth. This had become known as the Esben method and is still used today. _

Ginny looked at the leaflet in some astonishment. There was a lot of information there for her to take in the words that seemed to jump out at her were "teenage girl who died" And "fatal" but she decided that she would not jump to any conclusions. She picked up the book at the bottom of the pile. There was a small paper marker in one page. She opened it up and began to read that.

"_The Esben Method_

_This method had often been criticised by modern day healers who accuse it of being primitive and barbaric, but unfortunately there has been no alternative found._

_They Esben method has to be performed regularly on teenagers and pregnant women on a daily basis, sometimes more often, depending on the severity of the condition. Often a woman can go though puberty and then only find the condition triggered by pregnancy. Although the Esben method can maintain a woman till childbirth, this does not mean it is a comfortable experience. Women can experience dizziness, vomiting, delicate skin and bones and a 'sickly appearance'. Until the early 1900s the condition was seem to be a disease and so women often kept it a secret, which would unfortunately lead to an early death. Until 1930 there was no woman with CMBD bourn, who would make it to beyond 35 years old._

_The actual process of the Esben method is simple of sorts. An incision has to be made between the ribs and though the intercostal muscle into the lung. This is usually done under the arm where the intercostals muscles are at there weakest and the skin is thin. The incision has to big enough to fit a wand tip though and cannot be created though magical means to prevent pain. This is why the method is considered barbaric; this procedure has to be done without pain relief or magical healing intervention. Should magical healing be used during the procedure, then the healing charm used to stabilise the CMBD will be ineffective due to the interference of conflicting messages in the blood stream. The vital things about this process are to be able to keep the incision clean and sterilised between sessions as magical interventions cannot be used on the wound. Understandably the first session is the worst where the incision is initially made, but often the whole will heal to the extent that the experience is not painful._

_The Esben method has to be administered at the first inclination of a breaking episode; if the sufferer waits and the condition takes hold then the Esban method will not save them. This would usually have resulted in death but there is one treatment that has an amazing effect on the patient. The opal folk who are not native to any region are one of the most ancient forms of intelligent humanoid that exists today. The magic that they use runs thought the electrical connections in their body and so no wand needs to be used. The magic that is produced by the opal folk is very strong and although it can be used to safe someone from a fatal episode it cannot be administered more than 5 times in a lifetime because the human heart would fail due to the intensity of the magical impact on the body._

Wow! There was a lot of information there to, the most frightening of which was that today she was going to have someone stab her all the way into her lung! But before she had too much time to worry about it Madame Pomfrey had come back round the corner and was walking towards her with a tray of what looked like torture tools! Ginny shuffled back in the bed away from Madame Pomfrey as she approached. The look on Ginny face was terrified. Madame Pomfrey put the tray down on the small trolley next to the bed and Ginny slipped a leg out of the opposite side of the bed and placed her foot on the cold floor she began to shuffle in that direction away from Madame Pomfrey while her back was turned fiddling with the tools. Than Madame Pomfrey turned round holding what looked like an apple borer. Ginny's instincts made her fear got the better of her and she made to jump from the bed and makes a run for it! But……. Her legs were too weak and they crumpled underneath her as soon as she went to put weight on them. So her plan literally fell at the first hurdle.

"Oh dear now come on Ginny love its going to be ok"

Madame Pomfrey levitated Ginny back onto the bed and started to explain what she was going to do.

" There will be a bit of pain at first but I will keep it minimal, ok love, don't you worry all you have to do is relax."

Ginny was quivering a bit with fear she didn't want to end up crying and so she just lay back and lifted her arm. Madame Pomfrey untied the cold below her arm and got out a wad of cotton she. Ginny wasn't looking she was just waiting for the pain to start. Then Ginny jumped when madman Pomfrey touched her with a cold wet cotton wad.

"Oh sorry love it is a bit cold isn't it I don't usually use all this disinfectant guff , but we have to use a lot of muggle methods. This is a 'heebi scrub' according to the bottle."

Ginny smiled nervously at her

"Ok here we go Ginny love I want you to take a beep breath…. That's it and slowly let it out really slowly"

as Ginny began to do this she felt the cold metal on her skin and then a slicing sensation but it didn't hurt as much as she thought it would.

"Slowly does it Ginny we are almost there love just keep that breath coming out"

Ginny was relaxing into this and it was less and less painful the longer it went on "ok Ginny love just stay still for me"

Ginny could feel madam Pomfrey dabbing at the wound, Ginny knew that wound here should bleed a lot but it didn't seem to be gushing very impressively, Madame Pomfrey was clearly very skilled!

"Ok love here comes the nasty bit I need you to relax as much as you can, here we go"

Ginny closed her eyes as she could feel the wand being pushed into the whole on her side. And then there was a nauseating sensation like seasickness. Then Madame Pomfrey had taken the wand out, Ginny was too wrapped up in her own feelings to notice that Madame Pomfrey had made all the incantations and the Esben procedure was complete.

"There we go love not too bad was it after all that fuss! U didn't need to throw yourself out of bed for it I did you!"

Said madam Pomfrey light heartedly

"I feel sick," said Ginny

Oh yes that is one of the after effects love I am sorry but you will feel better later. You have a sleep now and rest a bit and we will see what you are up to doing later on.


	9. Chapter 9 Discovering new talents

Chapter 9 

Ginny went though the rest of that day eating and gaining strength. She had several visitors including the Quidich team Luna and Hagrid. Hagrid had bought her a another book to read, this one as about Karakil the game that they had bee training for in secret. The book made the game sound far simpler than Hagrid had made it. A player has a stick attached to either there front or there back and on this are large gold hoops and the player with the most hoops at the end wins. Sounds pretty simple! But then you realise that you are all on the back of hippogriffs and the playing field is half the size of a Quidich pitch and has 2 tall solid walls to keep you in. there were lots of things in that book that Hagrid had not told Ginny, like the fact that you are not only at great risk of falling from a great height, but also other players hippogriffs are allowed to attack other riders to take there rings. Sounded like a brutal dangerous skilful game that many people got killed playing!

"Sounds like my kinda game!!" thought Ginny

Hagrid had also said that he had a present for her and that she should come and get it when she was up and about.

The next day came and Ginny felt totally better she had strength in her legs and fingers again, which felt empowering. She decided to tell Madame Pomfrey that she wanted to spend the night in her own bed and that she would call if anything went wrong. Reluctantly Madame Pomfrey agreed to let Ginny go.

When Ginny got up to her room she was greeted by a big hug from Luna and several bunches of flowers on her bed. She had told Luna the truth and trusted her to keep it a secret. Ginny put the flowers in water and then sat on her bed and looked at the sky of a second or so. Luna seemed to be making something from card and glue on her desk opposite Ginny's.

"I think I will go for a walk. I haven't been outside for what feels like ages."

Ginny said. Luna reluctantly replied she was clearly very busy

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"No its ok, I would only slow you down, and you are clearly busy"

"Ha ha yer" what do you think its not finished yet"

She held up the … whatever it was…to show it to Ginny. Ginny smiled at her

"I am sure it will perfect for its pulpous!"

"Oh good!"

Relied Luna. Ginny left the room with a thin coat and made her way outside she wondered though the courtyard and looked at the lake, she sat under a tree for a few minuets and then decided she would go and see Hagrid. She was curios as to what this present was.

Hagrid was thrilled to see her and ushered her in, in such a way that he almost scooped her up entirely.

"Oh' gin' I got a lovli prezzi for ya sit there and il' get it!"

Ginny sat down on one of the large chairs and stoked fangs head as he lat beside her. Hagrid was back quickly and placed a large shallow box on the table.

"Sorry I dint' have time ter' wrap it!"

"That's ok Hagrid it isn't my birthday or anything"

"No I know but I though' it could be a get well present or summint'"

"Thank you Hagrid, you shouldn't go spending money on me"

"No its alrigh' I called in a favour from a uniform shop in….. Oh no im sayin too much u open it now go on!"

Ginny lifted the lid and saw that what was in the box had some tissue paper over it, as she peeled that back it revealed the most amazing uniform! it was like a quidich uniform in a way but it had no cloak and it was lighter and tighter fitting from the looks of things, it was clearly made of silk and it was a bright red with gold detail running like sun beams round to the back .

"What's this Hagrid? Its beautiful"

Said Ginny beaming and lifting the jacket out and holding it against herself.

" That, is a professional Karaki uniform, every single ones different on 2 the same! But the British team are all in red! So that's what I got ya'! its heavier than you expected int' it!"

Hagrid was right. Lying in the box it looked light. but infact the body of the jacket was heavy and fitted

"Underneath that silk is dragon scale! There's no way you will get a claw to the chest though that!"

Ginny was beaming this must have been a really expensive gift the trousers were a tan leather and Hagrid told her that they were kelpie skin and would not get slippery in the rain and would keep her dry. There were dragon scale grieves and a leather harness for the pole to fit onto her back.

"Hagrid this is such a special present thank you"

Ginny was almost in tears of happiness, no one had given her such a lovely present before, it was stunning.

"yer well' thot ya deserved it, I think yo' got the potential to be really great at this!"

"Thank you Hagrid, I will come down tomorrow and we will try it out!"

"Sounds good to me! You better be getting' off now Ginny startin; ta get dark"

" Ok I will see you tomorrow Hagrid"

Ginny gave Hagrid a hug, and left with her box under her arm, heading towards the castle. She was almost skipping she was so happy.

The next day was a Saturday as so she had the whole day free to do what he wanted. She knew that she had to let Harry know, at some point and she knew that it had to be in person somehow, but for now she put it further back in her mind and concentrated on right now. She proudly (but in secret) put on her Karaki uniform. It fitted perfectly and it was very flattering to her shape. It was also comfortable which Ginny decided was important.

Ginny threw on a cloak to cover her clothes, she didn't want anyone to see, and then disappeared off to Hagrid's. She spent almost the whole day having fun with Fru Fru and Hagrid practicing daring manoeuvres in the small glade in the forbidden forest. Ginny didn't fall off not even once, which boded well for her playing in a match. As the afternoon drew to a close, and the evening started to close in. Ginny called it a day and made her way back up to the castle.

She took off her uniform and put on some home clothes. She knew that she had to address the problem of meeting Harry so reluctantly she made her self sit down and pulled out the talking paper and fudge grannies quill. There were several notes on the paper from the last few days.

_M are you there?_

_Oh your not, well all is well here, we did a daring operation but don't worry whatever you hear in the paper it is all rubbish we are fine. Write back soon. J_

_Hello M? You didn't write back are you ok? I haven't heard from you for 2 days now is everything ok? Has something gone wrong? M hello? Ok well I will come back, please write back I worry about you. I love you. J_

_Ok M I am really worried now; I haven't had a reply for almost 4 days that is the longest time ever! I am really worried now please write back I need to know that you are ok has everything gone wrong? I can't help you if you don't tell me what's going on! Just let me know that your alive PLEASE!_

Ginny chuckled a bit at her poor lover getting so desperate at not being able to talk to her for just 4 days. She decided to put him out of his misery.

_J this is M_

_I am ok but I need to talk to you, I will be back at 10pm we can talk then. Don't worry everything is going to be ok._

Ginny didn't know if everything was going to be ok at all infact she was more worried than ever that if Harry found out, that it would be then end of there relationship entirely. But she loved him enough to give him the opportunity to be loyal.


	10. Chapter 10 A man's view

Chapter 10 

At this point in our story we jump to Harry.

Light bounced off the tent in the late afternoon sunlight. There were no birds singing and the trees were silent. The tent was in a forest somewhere in north Wales. The atmosphere inside the tent was uncertain. There had been no way to get hold of a daily prophet for days and they felt increasingly cut off from the world. To make things, worse Harry had not herd from Ginny for days. Ron and Hermione had no idea that Harry was able to communicate with her, but it was making him tense and crabby. Combined with the locket that they were passing around between them trying to share the load, the atmosphere was verging on an explosive panic attack.

Hermione spent all her days scrambling though endless books trying to find a way to open the locket. She was also providing Harry and Ron with endless reading and research to do, which was driving Ron in particular up the wall!.

As the evening came they decided that they all needed to give there eyes a rest and so they stopped reading and took a break. They also took off the locket to give their soles a rest because it tormented the wearer. Harry sat on the sofa in the middle of then tent looking up at roof canvas above him. Hermione was making some soup and Ron was nervously fiddling with his deluminator light catcher thingy that Dumbldore had left him; it had become quite a nervous twitch of his. Noe of them were really talking infact they had hardly spoken at all in the last few days.

Harry got up suddenly, and Hermione and Ron looked at him expectantly waiting for some kind of miracle or amazing answer to all their problems to come from his lips, then Harry spoke!

"It's getting dark now. I will take the first watch."

And at this he slumped off and picked up a bundle of papers and a coat and went to sit outside the door. Hermione and Ron looked at each other clearly bitterly disappointed that Harry was not oozing fantastic ideas and answering all the questions. But Harry had no answers to give them; he was just as much in the dark as the rest of them if not more so.

Harry sat on the cold ground. He was so worried about Ginny his mind flickered over to her every few seconds. He unravelled the talking paper expecting it to be blank as it had been for what seemed like days and days. But there! There it was look a message from Ginny!!!

_J this is M_

_I am ok but I need to talk to you, I will be back at 10pm we can talk then. Don't worry everything is going to be ok._

Ok he thought all I have to do is wait till 10pm. But his mind was buzzing and whirring with the short note she had left for him. '_I am ok' _she wrote. Does this mean that she hasn't been? Why would she have to say it if she was ok anyway? There was cold and a business like tone to the note '_I need to talk to you' _that sounded an awful lot like a pre-dumping line! What if that was it? Maybe she had met someone else and didn't want anything to do with him anymore? He wasn't there after all he was off risking his life to save the world, not there with her having a nice normal life like he should be. But the most worrying thing was the line '_don't worry everything is going to be ok.' _That defiantly meant that things were not ok right now.

Hermione came out and gave Harry a mug of soup and then disappeared but Harry was now so nervous her could not really drink it, and by the time he had calmed himself down a bit it had gone cold and was unappealing. 10pm was getting close and Harry was practically counting the seconds but he didn't know if her wanted the time to come or not. Then when his watch finally said 10pm his stomach turned over he was more afraid of what Ginny was going to say to him than he was of the dark lord stalking him every day and every night. He had worked himself into such frenzy by that time the first line came out all wrong.

"_M are you there? Speak to me!" _

Harry scratched onto the page 

"_That's a rather aggressive tone J! Its me the woman you love you don't have to bite"_

Ginny replied 

"Sorry its just your message was a bit… well it doesn't matter, what's going on? Why do you need to talk to me?"

Harry was still scratching a bit desperately onto the paper 

"Look you seem to be in a very crabby mood are you ok I never said it was urgent, have I caught you at a bad time?"

Ginny was fishing for a reason for Harry s mood

"_No I just,"_

Then there was a long pause

"What is it J? What's wrong?"

"_WHY HAVENT YOU WRITEN FOR 4 DAYS!! I HAVE BEEN WORRIED SICK!"_

Harry jabbed onto the page in capital letters! 

" _Don't worry calm down I have just been busy that's all and I had a bit of food poisoning so I wasn't t able to write, I'm sorry everything's fine don't worry."_

Ginny's words were comforting and Harry sighed in relief

"Ok sorry, maybe I was making more of it than it was, oh hang on, food poisoning? Poor you are you ok? 

Harry's mood suddenly changed from an aggressive accusing tone to a worried sympathetic one

"_Yes j I am fine the nurse fixed me up really quickly"_

"_That's good"_

Then there was another pause when Harry waited for Ginny to write something

"About me needing to talk to you J" 

This was the moment that Harry had been dreading, here come the words 'it's not working out' or something like that.

"I think we need to talk in person there are lots of things going on here that cant tell via this method coz we cant use names or places."

Harry was somewhat relived

"ok well how do you envision this happening we just meet for a drink in a pub shall we?"

"Don't be sarcastic J I know it isn't that simple."

"Sorry its just the atmosphere here getting to me a bit" 

"Sounds like getting away will do you some good, all the entrances are guarded to here even the secret ones. But there is a magical one that no one knows about, its going to be hard to tell you how to get to it though, coz we cant use names, it will have to be a riddle are you ready?

"_yer ok?_ _You mean you know a way we can get in?"_

Wrote Harry surprised he had though that that would be impossible 

"Yes my brothers told me that it exists but it is hard to find so it has never been used.

_You have to get to the village_

_The man who died had a brother _

_This brother owned a building _

_In this building there are images of depiction_

_You can step into one and that brings you to a safe place here_

Do you understand?" There was another short pause while Harry thought 

"_Give me in min"_

Harry's mind was buzzing but then it all clicked together. If he can get to the Hogsmede, then Dumbldore's brother had a pub, and it that pub would be paintings, and then he steps though one of those paintings to get to a safe place in Hogwarts! It was brilliant!

"_yes I understand! Your brothers are very useful for sneaky information aren't they"_

Harry's mood seemed to have lifted 

"Well it is what they are good at! But I stress that they have never used this entrance because the building is really secretive."

"Well secretive seems to be what I am specialising in right now so it shouldn't be a problem my love".

Harry was feeling encouraged that even if this event would not lead to him conquering the dark lord it was still something that he could achieve, and he felt that he needed a but of triumph, after all there recent frustration.

"I can come at night about 11pm, but not for another couple of days how about Tuesday? Will you be able to meet me?"

" _Yes that should be ok I will meet you then"_

The conversation continued after that in a sting of sweet nothings and some erotic suggestions. When midnight came they decided to say good night because Ginny had told him all about Karakil and that she had some more a training tomorrow.

Harry put the parchment in the pile of papers beside him. Ad spent the rest of his watch thinking about his wonderful Ginny and running over in his mind some of the sexual suggestions they had made together. He found himself very tight around his crotch several times before Hermione came out to swap over with him. That night he slept really soundly because even if Ginny had endless bad news about Hogwarts, even if Snape had been made Headmaster and everyone was now in Slytherin and the world was coming to end (he speculated jokingly) he was still going to get to see his Ginny, and she did still loved him after all. Finally he had something to aim for that was going to have a defiantly good outcome, and it made him able to relax and slip into a dreamless sleep for the first time in weeks.


	11. Chapter 11 Karakil

**Chapter 11**

Sunday morning came and Ginny woke up promptly considering it was a weekend. She had arranged to meet Hagrid, and so just as she had done the day before, she went down to Madame Pomfrey to get her Esben treatment. But she decided to lie and said she was still feeling a bit ill, and she would probably still need to have the procedure for another few days. Madame Pomfrey knew the procedures were unpleasant so she didn't query Ginny for needing more. Ginny knew that if she went a day without having it done, then being pregnant she would probably have a breaking episode and die, so it was vital to get the treatment. Ginny was becoming more aware of how it was done, and she had got some books on specifically how to do it. She was cross to discover that it had to be done by someone else, and she couldn't do it to herself, but she had to gather the information for when that time came to give it someone else.

Once Madame Pomfrey was done, Ginny went back to her room and put on her Karakil uniform. She was almost jogging down to Hagrid's hut threw the morning sunlight. She had, had such fun the day before se couldn't wait to start. But when she got there Hagrid answered the door,

"I'm sorry Ginny love we cant do any training with Fru Fru today"

"What? Why? Is she ok? She hasn't hurt herself has she?"

"No no it's nothing like that Ginny love, its you."

Oh dammit Ginny thought, he has found out about my CMBD and now he is never going to let me play. Hmmm sound innocent and uninformed!

" Me? What's wrong with me? Why can't I play?"

"Well you cant play with Fru Fru today Ginny because you and I are going to go and meet the British Karakil team!"

"WOW really! Oh that so existing! Why didn't you tell me!"

"Well it was kinda a surprise I didn't want you ter be disappointed if the plans fell though. So u ready then?

"Yes of course!"

"Right we have to walk out of the grounds and then we will go on the bike!"

"Wow ok!"

The journey was very quick the place was clearly not far, and when they got there the stadium was amazing. There was what looked like stables and stalls to one end and the seating was so raked that it was almost vertical. The walls that Ginny had read about were much bigger than she had imagined, which made the playing space look much smaller. They walked down to a place in the wings and a man walked over.

"Ginny this is Korus Samson the British Karakil Captain, I introduced him to hippogriffs at Hogwarts same way as I'm doin fer you!"

Ginny looked up at this man, he was tall and he had broad shoulders, he looked incredibly strong and he had scars on every bit if skin visible. But the shape of his face was very handsome none the less. He had a strong chin and high cheekbones. than he spoke

"Hello Ginny, Hagrid tells me you might be a rising star of the Karakil field!"

"I hope so,"

Said Ginny. She was a bit star struck, this man had a really impressive presence and standing between him and Hagrid made her feel very small.

"That's a nice uniform you've got. Do you like it? Is it comfortable"

Korus had a really strong dirty Scottish accent that made Ginny feel a bit melty.

"yer its beautiful I love it was a very nice unexpected present."

"Well that's good coz I designed it! I owed Hagrid a favour or too! He takes on my

Retired hippogriffs and keeps them for me"

"You designed it? Really? Its wonderful thank you!"

"Well its not often we get to design for women, so it has a certain novelty. Anyway we are just about to start a mock match you can take a seat and watch if you like"

At this point Hagrid piped up

"That's what we are here fur! common Gin lets go get a good seat."

Hagrid thumped her on the back towards the seating; they had to climb up several floors to get to the prefect height to watch and although all the seats were empty the stadium still looked crampt.

Ginny looked down and she could see a set of 7 hippogriffs on the ground at the bottom of the walls, 4 on one side and 3 on the other. She could see Korus going into the middle and standing with the people congregated there, they all seemed to be men. And the hippogriffs they were riding were much bigger than Fru Fru.

"You see you would be the smallest member down there wouldn't cha!"

Hagrid joked

"yer I would be, by a long way"

Said Ginny slightly worried

"But that's gonna give ya an advantage! Your a smaller target!"

This made sense to Ginny, but she was captivated too much to continue a conversation. Then a horn was sounded and all the men lined up about 10m away from their hippogriffs. Ginny knew what was going to happen next. This was often the most dangerous part. The players had to bow and the hippogriffs bow back and than at the sound of the 2nd horn they had to sprint towards them to get mounted. Often the hippogriff would meet them in the middle. But 8 men, and 8 hippogriffs all running towards each other in a small space. All it takes is for 1 player to trip and that is often the end of them.

Ginny watched as all the players bowed, then korus looked up at Ginny and she could swear she saw him wink at her. Then suddenly the 2nd horn went and all mayhem broke loose Korus was clearly the fastest and so he was the first to get on and in the air. They were all doing flat out running mounts, which Is hard on a creature with wings. These hippogriffs were amazing some didn't bother to take off from the floor instead they ran towards the walls and dug in there hooves to run vertically up the sides. Ginny was quite shocked the hippogriffs looked small on the ground but 7 hippogriffs with there wings fully spread in a small space was confusing.

"You watch Korus now hes gonna do a dive!"

Hagrid said excitedly

"A WHAT?!"

Ginny said astonished. But before Hagrid could answer it was already happening. Korus had hooked his knees over the front of his hippogriffs wings and they were in a full flat dive hurtling towards the floor! He had his arms out as if he himself were a bird and his hippogriff hurtled down so fast, wings flat against its self, and when the ground came up Ginny was so sure they were going to crash but the hippogriff spread its wings at the last minute put all 4 feet on the ground and pushed off into the air again. It was incredible! What manoeuvre a! And then Ginny noticed that he had 3 gold rings in each hand! That was clearly the pulpous of the manoeuvre he colleted them from players flying past on his way down! And Ginny hadn't even caught him doing it! He really was amazing.

The match really was quick and Korus of course won he had a total of 30 rings when he had started with only 5! Ginny and Hagrid went down to the pitch to chat to the players. One man had a large gash on his back that a teammate was running his wand along to heal it. Ginny and Hagrid got to talk to almost all the players they all seemed to be really nice guys. One thing that did put Ginny off was that they were all very scared and she didn't really want to end up looking like that. One player came up to them and she recognised him but she couldn't out her finger on where.

"Hay there I am jack wood"

He shook Ginny hand vigorously Ginny smiled a bit bemused at this friendly welcome

"Gin this is Oliver woods brother! Jack"

Said Hagrid

"Oh hi I knew I recognised something about you."

Yer well you know the handsome younger version of me ha ha ha"

Ginny beamed it was good to see someone a bit familiar

"I bet you are thinking 'oh dear god I don't want to look all scared like this lot'!"

Said jack jokingly

"You read my mind"

Said Ginny

"You don't have to look like us lot, its all like a trophy thing, tells others that you play seriously, but realistically we could heal the bumps and bashes much better we choose not to ha ha"

Ginny laughed with him and she could kind of see where he was coming from the scars did make them look tough and a bit intimidating.

Then Korus came over and put his arm round Ginny squeezing her quite hard

"So you staying for the training then?"

"I have nothing to ride this trip was surprise to me"

"That's not a problem my dear you can borrow Arrow."

"Arrow?"

"Yer that's my hippogriff mare that I retired from competition but I still use her for training sometimes. She didn't like the travelling from match to match so I had to retire her a bit early."

Ginny looked up at Hagrid with pleading eyes she needed his permission she knew that. After all she was Hagrid's responsibility and if she got hurt then he was the one who would have to take her pieces back to Madame Pomfrey probably in a shoe box

"yer alrit' but you be careful you hear!"

"I will thank you!"

Before Ginny knew it she was all set up and having the time of her life with the British Karakil team. Arrow was really nice but Ginny missed Fru Fru. Arrow was a bit hard to manoeuvre and Fru Fru was really responsive. They did all sorts of moves together one exercise was to cork screw in sequence with someone else and swap all your rings before you hit the wall.

The day came to an end and Ginny said good bye to all the players she had had the most fantastic time and she couldn't keep her mouth shut all the way home on the bike. Hagrid was just laughing at Ginny's enthusiasm most of the time. When they got back they sat down with a cup of tea in Hagrid's hut and had long conversations about tactics and matches. Then it got late and Ginny went back up to the castle.

When she got up to her room Ginny started to take off her uniform and get ready to go down to supper. Luna walked in as she was taking off the jacket.

"Where have you been all day? I've been lonely!"

"Oh sorry Luna I spent the day with Hagrid looking after the hippogriffs."

"U huu that's a really unusual jacket, hang on… is that a Karakil uniform?"

Ginny looked down for a second then she realised that Luna was her best friend and if Ginny said it was a secret then Luna would understand.

"yer it is. That's what I've been doing Hagrid is training me and today he took me meet the British team"

Luna just stood silently for a minute and then said

"Oh ok then"

Ginny was pleased that Luna just accepted this so easily.

"Of course the CMBD makes you more venerable to serious injury but I am sure you know that."

Said Luna as a throw away comment, she then said

"You ready for supper?"

"yer" Ginny replied "just give me a min"

Ginny put her uniform back into its box and slipped it under her bed. She then puled on a t-shirt and she and Luna went down to supper.

Ginny ate a good supper that night and she felt relived that the people closest to her were able to support her and she could share her problems with them. When it came to time to go to bed Ginny slept quite well despite the fact she was running over in her mind how she was going to tell Harry on Tuesday. She ran different scenarios over in her mind and none of them went the was she wanted or sounded good so she just went to sleep knowing she had another day to think about it.


	12. Chapter 12 the moment of truth

Chapter 12

Monday crawled by and Ginny was distracted in most lessons, but she made a new triumph! At the end of the day she could remember what she had taken that day! This was a novelty because she had not managed that for what seemed like weeks. The afternoon came and went and she found herself at Monday evening with no real plan as to what she was going to do tomorrow. She took a quick look at her talking paper and the only thing that was on it was the words

"I love you" 

this made Ginny all warm inside and she wrote the same back. She was keen that she did not let herself get distracted she had to have a plan for tomorrow. She could probably get Luna to go to bed early, and then her plan was to get up and go. The entrance from what Fred and George had mentioned was in the room of requirement and so that was where se had to go.

Before Ginny could catch up with her thoughts she was already half way though Tuesday. She had got so caught up in the physical logistics of her plan she had not planned what she was going to say to him. The words will come she told herself. She was getting a lot of boosts from people and so her mood was quite high and she found herself really existed about the notion of seeing him. Ginny had hardly even noticed all the disastrous things going on in the school around her, Snape had indeed been made headmaster and there were ministry men around every corner. The castle was a minefield for someone like Harry. But there was no need for him to leave the room of requirement, Ginny told herself. Despite the fact that muggle bourn pupils were disappearing on a weekly basis now the school didn't seem to have deteriorated too far. Certainly not as much as when Umbridge was in charge.

After supper Ginny and Luna sat down in there room and started their homework. They didn't have very much which was good because Ginny's mind was certainly not on the job. She was again running though scenarios in her head as to how she was going to tell Harry. The time had come for her plan to begin.

"I'm quite tired aren't you Luna, this cold weather saps the energy out of you"

Ginny said cheerfully

"yer I know you mean, shall we go to bed we can finish this lot tomorrow."

"Ok then"

Ginny replied, everything was going to plan it was even Luna's idea to go to bed early. Hopefully luck was on her side tonight. Ginny had chosen her green dress just a bit longer than knee length. The blood stains had washed out of it perfectly she was going to wear just that, and not make It too complicated. She had it in a neat folded pile next to her bed. The two girls got into there beds and turned the lights off. Ginny's heart was thumping so loud that she was afraid at one point the Luna might hear it. Then all she had to do was wait 10.50 came and Ginny was pretty sure that Luna was asleep she could just about hear her breathing deeply. Ginny slipped pot of bed making no noise at all. She slipped her feet into her slippers and grabbed the dress from the chair next to her. The springs of the bed squeaked a bit, as she got up and she froze instantly. Luna turned over but she dint wake up. Ginny slipped the dress over her head and took her shorts off from underneath. She shuffled her pillows to make it look like she was still in the bed and then tip toed out of the room. She tip toed along the corridors towards the room of requirement she knew that there was always 2 ministry men on duty around the corridors so she kept close to the walls and was totally silent. Then she heard footsteps coming towards her and she jumped up and froze next to a statue of a wizard holding a book. The light was so minimal that she looked like she was stone to and the ministry man walked straight past without a second glance. When he was gone she jumped down and look of at a silent jog. She reached the wall of the room of requirement and she walked backwards and forwards 3 times

"Somewhere safe to meet from the secret entrance and give someone shocking news" she thought. She wasn't sure what the room would come up with but as soon as the door appeared she slipped thought it and closed it behind her. The door disappeared and this was comforting to her, she was safe now. She turned to look around the room. It was dark and there was no colour at all, it was gloomily lit, by a bodiless light and there was what looked like a plain unmade black bed to one side. On the back wall one picture of a long corridor that disappeared into the distance. Ginny assumed that Harry would be wearing the invisibility cloak so she wouldn't see him coming.

Ginny didn't know what to do so she just stood in the middle of the room rooted to the spot, she looked at her watch every now and then, 11pm came and Harry didn't come. Ginny mind should have been buzzing with worry for him, but she was too busy planning her words. 11.05 came and he still wasn't there. Ginny had become quite clear as to what she wanted to say now she had it all planned. 11.10 came and Harry still hadn't arrived Ginny went over it all in her mind again and again. Then suddenly she got a feeling of someone approaching she was so nervous she was shaking all over then the picture frame moved a tiny bit and Ginny wondered whether she should run for a moment. The painting slowly swung open to show the same dark corridor as was in the picture. There was a small scuff sound from the ground below the picture. Then the cloak peeled away to reveal Harry standing there in the same room as her. He was looking at her but she couldn't move she stayed rooted to the spot. Harry ran his hand over his hair where the hood had been. Then began to walk towards her smiling gently he stopped about 3m away. Ginny had her hands clasped in front of her. She looked into his eyes and she was so frightened of him.

"Ginny?"

"Harry" Ginny breathes shakily.

Harry walked up to her slowly and stopped less than a foot from her Ginny looked up at him like a startled rabbit but Harry's gentle smile remained. Then Ginny began to put a hand out towards him and touched his chest. When felt him under fingers she let out a stifled breath Harry clasped the hand in his and bought his head down closer to hers so that there eyes met only inches from each other. At that point Ginny lost it, all her carefully planned words had escaped her and she threw her arms round Harry's neck holding him close. Harry kissed her passionately and lifted her up from the ground. They stayed like this for some time. Then when they broke off Harry leant forward and whispered in her ear

"I love you"

"oh Harry" Ginny said almost crying. "Harry come and sit down" she said gesturing to the bed. They walked over holding hands and Ginny sat to his right.

"Harry there's something I have to tell you"

by now there were tears in Ginny's eyes and she was shaking with every word. Harry noticed her shaking and so he pulled her in close to him. He put a hand up to her cheek and looked deep into her big brown eyes.

"Harry I'm"

But she stumbled over her words and so she took a deep breath and stared again.

"Harry…. I'm pregnant with our child"

Harry's warm face faded in shock and Ginny looked desperately form one eye to the other to try and see what he thought. He let go of Ginny and leant back on his hands looking ahead at the stone floor in front of him. His expression was totally blank. Ginny still had tears flowing down her face and now she was more afraid than ever, she was afraid of what Harry was going to say next and whether this was the end of their love.

"Harry… say something… please…tell me what you are thinking"

Harry leant forward putting his elbows on his knees and hanging his head. Ginny thought the worst, this is it isn't it?, this is then end. Harry's shoulders started to shake in sobs.

"Oh Harry"

Ginny leant forward and put her arm round him. But then he sat. And he wasn't crying at all he was laughing. Ginny looked at him totally confused.

"wha?"

Ginny stammered

"This is fantastic Ginny!"

Then he scooped her up under the knees and spun her round Ginnys confusion melted to a smile.

"So you are ok with this you are not angry?"

"No of course not this is the happiest moment of my life Ginny, how could I not be ok with this! This is amazing! Oh I love you"

Ginny grinned and pulled him into a kiss

"Oh Harry I cant tell you how thrilled I am that you are pleased"

But then Ginny remembered that there joy was going to be short lived and her expression dropped.

"Ginny what is it what's wrong?"

Ginny got down out of Harry's arms

"Come and sit down again"

Harry sat down again looking confused

"What is it? What's up?"

Ginny was trying to find the words

"Having this baby, its not all that simple"

"I never thought it would" be said Harry laughing and holding Ginny close but she pushed him away

"no Harry I mean it really isn't simple at all…."

Harry was listening but she was struggling to be able to sum it all up

"Harry I have CMBD and it makes a pregnancy and childbirth very dangerous Harry"

"What's CMBD you have never mentioned it before."

Ginny decided that it was time to come clean

"Harry I'm really sorry but I lied to you. When I said I had food poisoning I was actually in St Mungos fighting for my life that night. This condition is part of what I am and I have had since I was bourn without even knowing it. The condition could kill me, and I have to have a wand stuck into my lungs every day while I am pregnant just keep me alive and that is still no guarantee I could still have a fatal episode killing me in a matter of hours. I was so scared the other night Harry I thought I was going to die."

Harry looked at Ginny and he had tears in his eyes then he grabbed her held her tight to his chest.

"Oh gin I am so sorry I had no idea. And all this time you could have died at any minute, and there's me getting all existed about a baby that could kill you."

Ginny didn't know what so say so she buried her head in Harry's chest. They sat like that for a while both with tears running down there faces. Then when all the tears were gone Ginny sat up and said

"What are we going to do?"

Harry looked down and held Ginny hands in his. He was thinking hard and Ginny was waiting for all the answers to sprout from him.

"Ok….. What were going to do is you are going to come with me ok?

"What!?"

"Yes, you are going to come with me and I am going to take you to shell cottage to bill and Fleur and you are going to stay there until you have the baby. Fleur is training as a nurse and she will be the perfect person to look after you, and … and everything will work out"

Ginny smiled and then she wiped away the tears from her face. Harry had done exactly what she wanted him to do he has made it all better.

"Ok" she said smally

"Right ok then, can you appirate?"

"Side on but not alone" she replied

"That's ok we can do that.. Right we need to get your stuff and we need to tell someone official that you are going."

"That's something else Harry, Snape has been made headmaster"

"Oh shit…. So the castle is crawling with death eaters"

"yer something like that"

"Ok its not a problem we have the cloak we will go to Mcgonagall"

"Ok" said Ginny.

Harry got up and rushed over to grab the cloak then he rushed back to her and held out his hand.

"Ginny Weasly, love of my life and carrier of my child, will you come with me on an adventure?"

"I will"

She took his hand and he pulled her up into an embrace then he swept the invisibility cloak over the two of them.

"We will go you your room and get your stuff first"

"Ok"

So they set off, they crept out into of the corridor and made there way to Griffindor tower. They got to Ginny's room with no interruptions at all. Then they took the cloak off and Ginny went to sit in the side of Luna's bed.

"Luna wake up .. Luna I have something important to tell you."

Luna stirred and shuffled into a sitting position

"What is it? What's going on? Why are you dressed? Oh hello Harry"

She said casually

"Luna listen I love Harry and I am pregnant with his child and he is going to take me somewhere safe now, we are leaving tonight, will you give my apologies to Hagrid?"

Luna seemed totally unsurprised by the bizarre situation she had woken up to.

"yer ok. Its alright you can take up Karakil again once you have had the baby, and I will think of something to say."

"Thanks Luna"

Ginny gave her a big hug and then went and packed a bag, most of her clothes wouldn't fit for long so she look only the ones that were vital and would last the longest. She stuffed in all her vital belongings. And then she got up gave Luna another hug said good-bye and they left. Luna just lay down and went back to sleep.

Ginny and Harry were under the cloak rushing though the corridors they got to Mcgonagall's office and went straight in the door was not locked. There was a narrow door at the back of the office with a bell. They rang it loud enough to be heard but not enough to alert any nearby death eaters. A light shone from under the door and there was the sound of footsteps. Ginny and Harry still had the cloak on, and decided to keep it on for now. The door opened and Mcgonagall's head peeped round in a tartan night hat and matching dressing gown. Harry and Ginny revealed themselves, and Mcgonagall's jaw dropped.

"Hello professor" said Harry quite cheerfully

"Harry potter!!!! What are you doing here? Do have any idea how much danger you are putting your self in not to mention others!!!"

"I am fully aware of that professor that is why I don't intend to stay long."

Said Harry smiling Professor Mcgonagall still looked totally shocked

"I suppose you are wondering why I am here?"

Said Harry brightly

"Yes I was rather!"

Said Mcgonagall affronted!

"Well Ginny and I are in love, and she is pregnant with my baby, and we couldn't be happier, and I am taking her away with me to somewhere safe, and I will not tell you anymore than that, because it endangers her, me, and you so it just better all round really!"

Even though it looked impossible Mcgonagall's jaw dropped even lower

"Harry potter"

She exclaimed looking totally stunned

"Yes well we thought we ought to let you know"

Said Harry cheerily Ginny was smiling and giggling a bit at Mcgonagall's face and the amazing situation they found themselves in. Mcgonagall seemed to look at Harry or a while clearly thinking very hard. Then she said suddenly

"Right well that's all sorted then! I think you have good plan, so good luck, to the both of you, oh Ginny your treatment?"

"Its ok that's all thought of"

Said Ginny

"Right" replied Mcgonagall,.. "How are you going to get out of the grounds?"

Harry quickly said

"I'm sorry professor but I can't tell you that"

Then there was some noise from outside in the corridor they all jumped.

"Time to go Ginny, thanks a lot professor"

They flung the cloak over them and then Mcgonagall stuck her head into the corridor and looked up and down.

"Coast looks clear, go quietly and swiftly you two" she whispered

"Thanks professor" said Ginny from under the cloak

"Oh Ginny love I want to come and visit the baby!"

"Ok thanks for everything"

Ginny giggled and with that they dashed along the corridors back to the room of requirement. As they walked past the 3rd time there was another noise like more than one set of footsteps down the corridor some distance away. Harry stood up straight and pulled out his wand they both froze for a moment and the noise stopped.

"Quick come on"

Said Harry as they dashed though the door. As Harry closed the door behind them something hit it from the other side hard, with a massive crashing sound

"Oh shit"

Said Harry but luckily the door was already disappearing and all they could hear was a thumping and scraping from the other side of the wall.

"Quick though the painting"

Ginny came out from under the cloak and ran for the picture, she opened it up and got though and Harry followed, they closed it behind them and began to sprint down the corridor they jumped though the picture at the other end and covered up with the cloak. Harry grabbed Ginny round he waist and said

"You ready?"

"yer"

And they appirated out of the dark corridor.


	13. Chapter 13 An unexpected injery

Chapter 13 

And then with a loud cracking sound cold sea air hit them and they found themselves standing in the dark a few hundred meters from a cliff down to the sea. They could see a cottage behind them a little way up the hill.

"That's it I recognise it from the pictures Bill sent"

Ginny said, so they started to walk up to it keeping the cloak on still. The walked seemed shorter from where they stood but the ground was clumpy and would have been hard to walk on even in the daylight because there was no track to follow. as they walked Ginny filled Harry in on what other people knew, and what she knew in more detail. Finally they got to the front door and rung the bell. They could hear voices from inside and there were lights turning on. Bill though the door open clearly quite cross at having been woken up and even more to find no on there he looked very menacing with the scaring to his face showing in the lamplight. Harry and Ginny pulled off the cloak and Bills expression melted.

"Get in quick"

He said seroiusly.

"Bill? Oo is it? Bill?"

Then Fleur came down the stairs wearing a white silky dressing gown.

"'arry! Ginny what are you doing 'ere"

Ginny and Harry were panting a bit.

"We have some.. news"

Said Harry

"I will put ze' kettle on"

Said Fleur understandingly

"So what's your news then?"

Said Bill in a slightly worried tone. Ginny and Harry looked at each other and Harry put his arm round her. Then Harry looked back at Bill, stood up straight, and cleared his throat

"Ginny is pregnant with my child"

There was a very short pause where Bill contemplated this then he frowned at Harry

"I'm gonna kill you!"

And he lunged at Harry, as Ginny screamed at him NO. He punched Harry to the floor and became very werewolf like.

"I'll fucking kill you! You got my 17-year-old sister pregnant! You couldn't keep your fucking cock in your trousers! MY FAMILLY TRUSTED YOU!"

Bill was shouting as he had his hands round Harry's neck.

"NO BILL STOP IT!"

Came shouts from Fleur and Ginny. But he shrugged them off as they tried to restrain him. His werewolf's tendencies clearly went a little beyond a fetish for raw steaks. But before Bill could strangle Harry completely, Harry pulled out his wand and Bill was thrown backwards suspended flat against the wall. He was growling loudly and as Harry was pointing his wand at Bill he struggled to his knees and looked down as massaged his neck. Ginny rushed over to Harry.

"Bill how could you!"

Said Ginny though her tears. Fleur was stroking Bill's chest trying to clam him down and his growling was diminishing into heavy breathing. Fleur turned to Harry and said.

"Its ok 'arry you can let him go now"

So Harry released Bill and Bill dropped to the floor in a perfect crouch. Everyone then stood up straight and there was tension in the room. There was a long silence this time where Harry and Bill gave each other evil stares. Ginny walked up to Bill and stood directly in front of him. He could still see Harry over Ginny's head. They were both tall men, although Bill was clearly larger.

"Bill please. I love Harry and he loves me this is a happy thing not something that gives you the right to try and kill him!"

Bill looked lividly at Harry then closed his eyes and when he opened them he was looking at Ginny. He stared at her for a while then Harry came up behind her and grabbed her waist pulling her towards him away from Bill a bit. Fleur stepped between Bill and the others.

"Lets all sit down, come on Bill sit please"

Bill looked into Fleur's eyes and then followed her to sit at the table. Harry and Ginny took seats opposite Bill, and Fleur gave them all hot drinks.

"So what do you plan to do now then?"

Said Bill.

"Bill I want ask to you a favour"

Started Ginny

"I thought this might be coming"

Said Bill with his head in his hand

"May I come stay with you till I have the baby?"

"Of course you can Ginny it would be our pleasure to 'ave you"

Said Fleur

"Thank you" said Ginny

Bill got up with his drink and began to pace up and down the kitchen. He looked angry still.

"It isn't all that simple though is it Ginny, you have CMBD and this pregnancy could kill you"

Bill was getting really angry again he was almost shouting now. Bill gripped his mug so hard it crushed in his hands. Harry got up and went to stand in Bill's pacing path.

"She is NOT going to die!"

Said Harry aggressively and Bill went for him again

"You don't know that! You stupid fuck!" he yelled forcing Harry to the wall by his collar. Ginny got up and ran to Bill and she grabbed his arms

"Bill NO!"

Bill threw her off and she hit the staircase knocking herself hard, and falling to the floor.

"Ginny!"

Screamed Fleur, running over, Bill had dropped Harry and was kneeling by her side in seconds Ginny was clutching her side and she was wheezing.

"Gin!"

Cried Harry. Fleur laid her down flat and felt Ginny's side she was frowning with concentration.

"I'm sorry Gin I'm so sorry I didn't mean for it…. I just.. I'm so angry"

Sobbed bill

"Its ok Bill I know you didn't mean it"

Ginny wheezed heavily

"I 'sink 'er rib is broken we should get 'er up stairs"

Bill went to pick her up, but Harry got there first. And Bill did not protest, Ginny yelped in pain as Harry picked her up. Fleur lead the way up the stairs into a small spare bedroom, and they lit some lamps. Fleur told the men to leave while she sorted Ginny out. So Bill and Harry went back downstairs. They sat with their drinks in the kitchen. Bill had had to make himself a new one coz his mug got crushed. They sat in silence opposite each other not looking at each other at all.

Fleur came down the stairs a moment or two later and the two men sat up expectantly. Fleur picked up Ginny's bag from the floor and plonked it on the table in front of them. She then started to rummage though it and pulled out a clump of papers, which she spread over the table and found what she was looking for the Esben method. She then gave Harry and Bill a glace. Then she lingered on Bill and gave him a "sort it out, or your on the sofa" kind of look. She took the paper she needed and disappeared back upstairs. The men went back to looking into their mugs, maybe they were hoping that the peace would just leap out of them, and neither man would have to stand down. They could hear Ginny crying in pain upstairs.

"Look Harry… I'm sorry I went for you"

"Its ok you were protecting your sister, I can't imagine how hard it must be to discover how ill she could be from this"

"She almost died Harry, she was minuets from death, and if she is this effected now, think of what it will be like 6 months down the line when one push breaks a rib now Harry!"

Harry hadn't even considered this, it was something he had not even foreseen, and he hadn't planned ahead himself he didn't really plan to be alive in 6 months time.

"I just know, that here is the best place for her right now Bill. Fleur can look after her and you are clearly the best protection she could want and, she is out of you know who's reach here. Please Bill I am asking for your help. I am trying to save the world for her; can you look after her till I have done that? Please"

Bill looked at Harry, and he got up and went round to stand next to him. Harry stood up so that he was eye to eye with Bill.

"Her staying here till the baby comes was never in question Harry, both you and Ginny are welcome here anytime you want. I just got … cross. There's a lot going on here to you know, and to have my 17 year old sister beat me to it is, a bit embarrassing really."

Harry looked at Bill inquisitively, beat them to it?

"Fleur and I are having a little… trouble in that department, she had a miscarriage a few weeks back. We didn't tell anyone its no one else's business. But I am telling you now Harry, so that you can appreciate what we are going though, and having this now, is just going to bring it all home."

Harry put a hand on Bill's shoulder

"I'm really sorry mate. I'm really sorry for this"

And they both broke down in silent tears and embraced each other in a manly hug. Fleur tip toed down the stairs and leant against the banister watching them lovingly. Harry caught sight of her and broke away clearing his throat, as did Bill.

"You 'ave souted it ot zen?"

Bill and Harry nodded looking at the floor with their hands in their pockets.

"Is Ginny ok can I go see her?"

Harry asked quickly.

"Yes she is ok, go see 'er now while she is awake she needs 'er rest"

Harry looked at Bill then made his way up the stairs. He realised as he hesitated with his hand on the doorknob to the room that he had been in this situation before, but Ginny wasn't dieing then, Voldermort wasn't winning then, and he wasn't leaving her then, and the world was a much smaller place than it seemed today. He opened the door and walked in. She looked so small in the bed tiny and grey in the moonlight. He walked over and sat on the bed beside her and stroked her face. She opened her eyes.

"Hey there handsome"

"Hey"

"Some adventure ay? Have you sorted things out with Bill?"

"yer everything's fine now"

Said Harry smiling

"Did you know that fleur had a miscarriage?"

Said Ginny

"yer Bill just told me, he's really cut up about it, and he thinks that triggered his temper etc"

"Are you ok he didn't hurt you did he"

Said Ginny worried

"A few bruises I will be fine, listen I cant stay I have to get back to Ron and Hermione they don't know I am gone, and I will probably get back to find them having hot steamy sex ha ha ha"

Ginny laughed and then winced in pain. And Harry brought his hand up to her cheek.

"I have to go"

He said painfully

"I know.. its ok"

"I will come back… ok… keep talking to me on that paper you hear! B for Bill and F for Fleur ok?."

"Ok"

With that Harry left the room. He couldn't bear painful good byes and so he went downstairs and grabbed his cloak

"'arry you 'avent finished your drink?"

"I'm sorry I have to go now. Look after her for me, she is the most precious thing in the world to me."

"No problem mate"

Said Bill.

"I will come back. I don't know when"

Before anyone could say anything else he turned tail out of the room, and with a cold blast of sea air he was gone from the house and diapered into the night.


	14. Chapter 14 A little inspiration

Chapter 14 

For a few days after Harry left shell cottage Ginny was a bit down. She got over the broken rib very quickly; Fleur had done a wonderful job. Ginny only realised during they day just how desolate her situation had become. She had been in a castle full of people right in the middle of all the action that was going on, but now she was out in the middle of nowhere all by her self most of the time. Fleur and Bill would both leave early in the morning to go to London and Ginny would be left in the house by herself.

As soon as Ginny felt up to it, she began to take walks. She wondered down a track that took her down the cliffs to the sea, and there were some thick woods a little further on that she was meaning to explore. Although the air was cold it was refreshing and she felt more at home outside.

Days passed and one day at breakfast Bill got a letter.

"Its from Lupin and Tonks"

Bill said as he broke the seal on the back. He pulled it out and read it aloud

"_Dear Bill and Fleur_

_We are so sorry your special day got interrupted and we haven't been in contact much since, we hope you understand. We realised however that we never got to give you your wedding present! So we would like to come and deliver it if that is possible? (Tonks complains it is getting in her way here) send us a letter back letting us know about when it would be convenient for you._

_All our love Lupin and Tonks"_

Bill folded it back up and then began to speck 

"Well if they want to bring us presents they are welcome anytime!"

Fleur laughed. Ginny realised that Tonks had been pregnant for some time now, they had found out just before Ginny left the burrow, but at the time she was a bit distracted to care much, cold as that may seem. But she cared a lot now.

"'zay could come in couple of weeks Bill we 'ave a free Saturday"

"yer ok we will arrange it for then, I will have to take it into work coz we don't have an owl, Tonks will be quite big now wont she"

"yer"

Replied Fleur in a small voice. She turned around to fiddle with something on the counter. Bill looked at her as he realised what he had said may upset her.

"I'm sorry I 'sink I 'ave something in my eye"

Said Fleur and she walked out of the kitchen. Bill watched the door she had gone from then looked down at the table.

"Its ok bill, it's going to be ok,"

Said Ginny as she put her hand on his. Bill looked up and smiled at Ginny.

"yer course it will, if at first you don't succeed try, try again, isn't that the saying."

"That's the spirit"

Said Ginny smiling at him. Bill gave a reassuring smile back than started to clear the table.

A week and 5 days passed from then and Lupin and Tonks were coming to visit in 1 day's time. Fred and George had arranged to come as well, but Molly and Arthur couldn't make it. Which pleased Ginny because it would be enough of a shock for Fred and George to find her at shell cottage, with out the added shock of why she was there. Ginny's belly was starting to show a tiny bit. She was so thin and she had such a small frame that it showed more than it should have done. Fleur was doing her best to feed Ginny up and it seemed to be working. The 3 of them sat down and decided that it would be unwise to tell everyone about Ginny's baby so they had to find a way to hide it. Ginny and Fleur spent some time tiring on clothes, and finally found a woolly baggy jumper that covered it completely and didn't look too suspicious.

The day of the visit came and Fleur seemed to be putting on a huge spread. Fred and George were the first to arrive they hugged Bill and Fleur as they came though the door, and then noticed Ginny, she got up and hugged them as if the was nothing wrong.

"What are you doing here squirt?"

said Fred suprised

"Temporary leave, just for the day I wanted to see Lupin and Tonks, but don't tell Mum and Dad they would freak if they knew I had left Hogwarts."

Before either Fred or George could contest this Fleur had piped up

"So gentlemen what can I get you to drink?"

And Bill gave Ginny a cheeky wink. They sat and chatted for a while but it wasn't long before Tonks and Lupin arrived. And they were all standing in the small kitchen.

"Sit down Tonks please come sit"

Said Fleur gesturing Tonks to a chair. Tonks had got big, but she still seemed manoeuvrable. Then Lupin said,

"So you ready for your present! Its outside it is a bit big, I go get it."

Bill opened the door for Lupin as he manhandled it in through the door and peeled away the sheet that was over it, to reveal an owl in a large silver cadge.

"Oh Lupin"

Exclaimed Fleur as she knelt down to look at it. It was sweet little barn owl and was blinking cutely in the light.

"Wow that's great mate thanks"

Said Bill giving Lupin a friendly thump on the back

"Does she 'ave a name already?"

Asked Fleur looking up at Tonks

"No she's all yours to name what you want."

Replied Tonks

"hmmmm breeze"

Said Fluer after a moments thought

"yer breeze, as in sea breeze I like it! Come on lets all sit I want to hear about what everyone has been up to"

Bill ushered Lupin Fred and George into the living room leaving Ginny, Tonks and Fleur in the kitchen to talk about women's stuff! They had a lovely day and they all had a feel while Tonkes baby was kicking. Fleur kept her chin up all day, and the experience seemed to do her good rather than upset her. They had a lovely lunch and then all went for a short walk on the beach together enjoying the spray off the sea. When they got back it was time for everyone to go, and there were lots of hugs and kisses and 'write soon'. Fred and George left and then Lupin offered to take Ginny back to school.

"No its ok Mcgonagall is coming here to pick me up later"

Said Ginny quickly

"Oh ok, well see you soon Ginny love"

And with that they left. Fleur was in a very happy mood and she busied herself tidying up and making a quick supper for them all. They got an early night and Ginny could hear the bed squeaking suspiciously rhythmically next door for some time once they had all turned in for the night. This made Ginny giggle she thought it was very funny, they clearly just needed a little inspiration she thought.


	15. Chapter 15 Dramatic news

Chapter 15 

Weeks passed and the visit from Tonks and Lupin had made the atmosphere in the cottage endlessly better. Fleur and Bill were acting more like a newly married couple, and Ginny came into he kitchen several times to find them on the verge of having passionate sex. Ginny wasn't too embarrassed she thought it was hilarious.

Ginny's regular walks had got longer and longer she would now be out for most of the day, she would take lunch with her and find a place to sit down to eat it. She discovered rivers in the forest and on the bit of moor land old a falling down house that had clearly been abandoned for years. Ginny liked it here, but she wouldn't want to live here forever though she thought.

Ginny's bump was getting quite big now, and it was getting harder and harder to hide it, so it was decided that she could not have any more visitors who knew her already. Ginny had been communicating quite regularly with Harry. She could find nice places to sit and write notes to him; her favourite place was on the edge of one of the cliffs. There was grassy tuft and she could sit there and feel on top of the world. As if she could see everything. The sea stretched out in front of her and she could see for miles down the cost line in both directions, she could listen to the sea running over the sand below and feel the wind blowing though her hair.

They were all sitting down to breakfast one morning when Fleur turned around and suddenly announced

"I ' sink Ginny needs to go st Mungos and get a check-up!"

There was a pause while this sank in. Fleur had clearly been bottling this up for a while because it came out quite suddenly

"I cant its… its too dangerous… someone might see"

Said Ginny stumbling over her words. Ginny was clearly becoming quite fearful of people seeing her, and being in the middle of no where for all this time had made her quite frightened of the concept of going into London with all those crowds.

"Why what's the problem Fleur?"

Bill interjected

"I just don't 'sink 'zat I am qualified to make verdicts, even if 'zis were a normal pregnancy which it is not 'zen I am still not confident zat I can make ze big decisions when zey are needed."

Bill nodded and Ginny knew that Fleur had been feeling uncertain for some time, she had been asking Ginny lots of questions lately, she was probably asking them as soon as she found out they needed to be asked.

"Ok, I'm sorry, it was a lot to ask from you Fleur of course it will go to st Mungos"

Fleur looked comforted by this

"I will arrange for an appointment for tomorrow"

She said. Nothing more was said about this till Fleur came and told Ginny that the appointment had been made for early the next morning. Ginny asked how they were going to get there, but Bill said that he would take care of it. That day Ginny went out for her walk but as she was getting bigger her walks had to change, she couldn't do so much climbing on the cliffs and so on, and she had to sit down for a break more often. It was also cold and the nights were moving in, it was now dark by 5pm and the ground was no longer dry enough to sit on. She wasn't very big still, she was about 4 months down the line now, and she could still cover it with clothes mostly, but people who knew her to be slender would know something wasn't right. Ginny got back quite late from her walk that day and found Fleur and Bill in the kitchen. They jumped up as soon as she came though the door.

"Where have you been Gin we have been worried sick!"

Said Bill hugging her, Ginny was shocked she had never got this kind of reception before.

"It was getting dark Gin and there was no note and we thought because of this morning we might have frightened you and…."

"Its ok bill I'm alright it just took me a while to get back, its not dark its only 4pm. don't worry its ok"

Ginny hugged him. And rubbed up and down his back

"I trust you, if you say that you will make it all ok, it will be ok."

This comforted Bill and he went to sit back down. They spent the evening discussing questions and things that they wanted to ask tomorrow at the appointment.

"Who is it with?"

Asked Ginny

"I do not know it is just a general appointment"

Replied Fleur. They arranged the Bill would wake Ginny up the next morning and she did not need a coat or anything like that, but the actual plan remained a secret. Ginny went to bed that night very nervous as to what was coming, she had never really thought that something could go wrong with the pregnancy. Her breaking episode couldn't have been good for the baby and she had not been reading magazines and things, not eating all the right stuff not doing the right exercise. What if all this has is coming to late? Ginny didn't sleep much she tossed and turned unable to get comfortable and eventually went to sleep just in time for Bill to wake her up in the morning (don't you just hate it when that happens!). Ginny got dressed and put on her baggy jumper, her makeup covered her bags under her eyes really well, and she was quite impressed. Then she started to make her way downstairs, but as she got to the top of the staircase she could her voices in the kitchen and she froze. One was Bill and one was Fleur but one was far less familiar. She could catch the occasional word from Bill; his voice seemed to carry best.

"Something something ..very happy. Something something .. Down any minute"

Ginny decided that they didn't seem too distressed so this was not an intruder and they seemed to be laughing and joking so she slowly ventured down the stairs. Bill and Fleur came into view and then opposite them was a familiar figure.

"Hello Ginny Weasly"

"Aralniya!"

Ginny was thrilled to see her

"Turns out st Mungos will do home visits for special circumstances"

Said Bill smiling and gesturing Ginny to a seat next to Aralniya and giving her a mug of tea.

"Bill and Fleur Weasly tell me you have been coping well so far."

"Yes I think I am doing ok"

Ginny said knowing that she and Aralniya knew better than that. Aralniya was unsurprisingly unchanged. She was wearing the same light blue shimmering robes and she looked most odd in the ordinary textures of the kitchen of shell cottage.

"Please go though to the living room make yourselves comfortable, Fleur will hang around till you are finished but I have to be off to work Im afraid, I will see you two later!"

Fleur and Ginny said their good byes and Bill left. They wondered though to the lunge and Ginny sat on the large sofa with Aralniya and Fleur left them some privacy for a while.

"So Ginny Weasly how have you been feeling, Fleur Weasly tells me she had been giving you the Esben treatment every day"

Ginny was happy to open up to Aralniya there was some comfort in the fact that she could not keep anything from her even if she wanted to.

"yer the treatment has been going ok. Its true what it says in the book you gave me the treatment gets better as you get used to it"

"I'm glad to hear it. Now I must take some measurements"

She looks a tape and put it around Ginny's middle.

"hmm ok that's interesting"

"What? what is?

Said Ginny worried

"Oh nothing to worry about Ginny Weasly"

She then took a measurement of the length of her arm, from elbow to wrist and her back aswell, neck to pelvis.

"Ok lets have a feel of your baby, lie down on the sofa Ginny Weasly."

Ginny did this quickly without protest and Aralniya knelt on the floor next to her. Ginny pulled her jumper up and Aralniya felt her belly. Aralniya's hands were the same temperature at the air around them, and it felt as if nothing was touching Ginny at all. Aralniya used the whole of her hands she even used the backs of her hands at one point.

"Ok thank you Ginny Weasly everything seems to be in order so far. Lets see if we can feel the babies heart beating"

Aralniya got out what looked like a narrow silk scarf that came to a point at one end. Aralniya laid the wider end on Ginny's bump and then she held the other end in the palm of her hand. With her free hand she used her forefinger to move the scarf on Ginny's belly looking for the heartbeat. She did this for long enough to make Ginny uncomfortable, then she stopped moving suddenly, she smiled at Ginny and then began to move again. Ginny was getting quite worried now, was there any pulse at all? Then Aralniya froze again just as she had done before, she smiled at Ginny and said

"Do you want to feel"

And she offered the point of the scarf to Ginny. Ginny slowly took it uncertain of what she was going to feel physically and emotionally. She gripped it in her hand, and she could feel it, she could feel her baby's heart as if it were there in her hand, but it wasn't creepy it was wonderful. Ginny smiled and her eyes welled up with tears.

"Its amazing isn't it Ginny Weasly"

"Its incredible, that's my baby, my baby"

They sat there for while, whilst Ginny enjoyed the feeling of having her baby in the palm of her hand. But then she handed it back to Aralniya.

"Everything is perfect Ginny Weasly. You are healthy and just the right size, I am pleased that you are responding so well to the treatment you are glowing as prospective mothers should, you look wonderful, there is however something that you ought to know."

Ginny's heart skipped a beat, what was Aralniya about to say? Was her baby to small? Is it all her fault for not eating enough?

"Don't worry Ginny Weasly everything is fine, but I think you ought to know that you are pregnant with twins"

Ginny's jaw dropped, twins? Well she shouldn't be that surprised it does run in the family.

"Twins? I'm going to have twins? Can you tell me the gender?"

"No not yet Ginny Weasly it is still early days. Congratulations"

Ginny was crying with joy again and she didn't know what to say or do, she wanted to shout and scream it from the rooftops.

"I think we should get Fleur Weasly back in and we can discus your future treatment"

Ginny nodded vigorously, wiping her face free from tears but still beaming. Aralniya stood up and opened the door Fleur was clearly waiting outside because she came straight it.

"So is every'sing alright is every'sing ok is ze baby ok?"

Fleur said to Ginny with her hands clasped nervously in front of her.

"Everything's more than alright, I'm going to have twins!"

Fleur's expression changed to absolute joy and she almost screamed

"MON DUER! Twins oo la la 'ow existing! Twins! Oh Ginny you are so lucky twins oh 'zis is amazing!"

She sat down and grabbed Ginny's hands and held them so tight. But Ginny was just as existed as she was and squeezed back just as hard. Then Aralniya spoke

" I am sorry to break up this happy moment, but twins has extra implications where the CMBD is concerned. No sufferer has ever successfully given birth to twins, so we are treading new ground here."

Ginny and Fleurs expressions dropped to that of seriousness and Aralniya continued

"We may have to increase the intensity of your Esben treatment. It is common for CMBD sufferers to need the treatment 2 times a day towards the end of the pregnancy. But my fear is that you may need it as many as 3 times if not more."

This had certainly put a downer on the celebrations this was starting to sound more and more complicated.

"The Esben method has a side effect it realises toxins into the blood, which is what gives you a sick feeling during the treatment. I am worried that these may become to much and may damage you more than they should. I can provide you with potion that will help to combat the toxins but you may find yourself quite weak in your last month or so of pregnancy."

Ginny and Fleur sat for a while thinking about what had just been said and considering how it was going to work for them. Then Fleur spoke

"'zat is ok, we can give whatever help is needed and you are in ze safest place here. Don't let zis put you off, we can get 'sru zis togezer ok?

Ginny smiled and nodded, she knew what Fleur said was true she was in the best place, and nothing was going to stop her wanting her babies.

"You are very brave Ginny Weasly"

Aralniya began

"You are an honer to your family. I will make sure that I am with you for the birth I am going to give you this"

Aralniya handed her a bright blue jewel suspended in a silver crescent moon shape on a silver chain.

"This will be able to tell me how you are at all times, and when the babies are coming I will know, and I will be here, are there any questions that you want to ask me?"

At this Ginny sprouted questions, like what should I eat? and what exercise should I do? and what products on the market are good or bad? Aralniya answered all of these with her classic calmness, dignity and grace.

"Now Ginny Weasly, Fleur Weasly it is time for me to go"

Ginny and Fleur saw her to the door she didn't have any bags or a coat or anything she went though the door and looked back at them

"Take care Ginny Weasly"

And with that she looked into the wind tipped her head back and held out her hands feeling it through her fingers. Ginny and Fleur watched her doing this and than to their astonishment she blew away piece by piece from her head down to her feet as if she were made of sand.

"Well that's one way to travel!"

Said Ginny grinning. Fleur laughed and they went back inside.


	16. Chapter 16 Stalking death

Chapter 16 

At a time unknown the sky was a deep rich blue and the stars could not be seen for clouds had masked them. Fog lay thickly over the rough sea grass on the cliff tops and the air was damp and cold, there was wet on the ground and a sleepless danger stirred amongst the tufts of marrom grass. The lights were on in Shell Cottage and Harry and Ginny could be seen though the kitchen window. Harry stood behind Ginny with his hands around her bump. They were chatting happily with others in the kitchen who couldn't not bee seen.

The malice began to creep closer though the scrub ground. Its enormous claws moving silently over the damp grass. This fear and despair moved though the fog like a gliding ship floating over water, its arched back breaking the surface of the fog. Harry and Ginny still talked happily and they had no reason to suspect the approaching, loss and separation and yet still it grew closer not wavering once from its straight path toward them. It got to within 20m of the house and it could smell human flesh and fear and love the house was rife with it, and yet still it drew closer. Then for no reason Harry glanced out of the window and saw this nightmare with its great red eyes piercing into him and it smashed though the window toward him and all was gone.

Harry sat up suddenly hitting his head on the bunk above him. This was the 3rd time he had had this dream in the last 2 weeks and its clarity worried him. It wasn't the first time he thought he had seem the grim, and he wouldn't be at all surprised if there was one stalking him now, the final show down with the dark lord was coming closer, Harry knew this, and no one was going to be able to do it for him. Over the time that the 3 young people had spent in solitude moving from desolate place to desolate place their powers had grown and they had become much stronger and skilled than they were before. Harry had finally decided that the occlomency was something that he needed, he could not let himself fall into traps and he had to be able to separate real from fiction. The dream he had been having about being attacked by the grim was a fuzzy line. Harry knew that he had had several dreams planted in his head by the dark lord and his visions were becoming more and more frequent. But this in a way comforted Harry, although the visions were disturbing and horrifying he recognised that most of them weren't real. This told Harry that the dark lord was still clutching at old ideas to trap Harry, and was possibly not confident to meet him in full combat. Harry had now become a most formidable enemy.

A long time had passed since Harry's brief trip to Shell Cottage and Ginny's notes became more and more vague. She spoke a lot about the weather and the sea, but Harry understood that she had every reason to be scared about the baby she was carrying. Harry had not managed to get to Shell Cottage unnoticed unfortunately, when Harry got back to the tent he found Hermione and Ron waiting for him. He had left a note saying, "_I will be back" _so they didn't think he had left them forever but boy where they cross! Harry had tried to make up excuses like he just went for a walk and he though he saw something in the trees etc but Hermione wasn't having any of it.

"You have been away from this forest on your own little hero mission and you didn't even think that your best friends might like to know that you are leaving them SLEEPING AND UNGUARDED!!!"

Hermione was pretty cross and she had every reason to be, Harry had left them and it had put them in immense danger. Harry managed to calm them dawn on the promise that he would tell them the whole truth, if the promised to stop shouting. Ron and Hermione sat down on the sofa both with arms crossed looking very much like angry parents to a naughty child. Harry sat in an armchair opposite and looked at his hands he was trying to think of a way to say it, that didn't get him a fist in the face again.

"I don't know where to start"

He mumbled

"Right from the beginning!"

Said Hermione in her most schoolmistress like voice.

"Ok well last year I was going out with Ginny, and I loved her very much, you guys knew that didn't you?"

Ron and Hermione looked at each other perplexed and nodded, what does this have to do with Ginny they thought?

"Anyway we publicly broke up after Dumbldors… you know… but that wasn't the end we kept seeing each other. When I came to you from Privet drive I would sneak out when you were asleep and go and see her"

Harry still hadn't looked up from his hands, If Ron was going to hit him then he probably deserved it and he wouldn't fight back. Ron and Hermione stayed silent and Harry could imagine the looks of shock on their faces.

"I love her, and I know that that is hard to understand coz there is so much going on, but I do, I love her, she means the world to me."

Then he waited for a while for some kind of reaction

"So you left us, to go and have 1 hour with you lover?"

Hermione wasn't shouting but she was clearly still livid and Harry looked up and answered so quickly it was almost interrupting

"No of course I didn't!"

"Then what was it mate? What's going on? We wont be angry we just need the truth from you."

Harry had a huge lump in his throat and he almost wanted to cry, because he had got himself in a mighty mess now.

"I went to go and collect her. I had to take her somewhere safe! Snape has taken over Hogwarts and there are ministry men crawling all over. I took her to shell cottage"

Then he stopped again but Ron and Hermione knew he hadn't finished, he needed a lot of courage for this next bit but he sat up and looked straight at them.

"I had to take her somewhere safe… because she is pregnant with my child"

Ron and Hermione sat there for some second while this sank in than Ron looked at Hermione and she looked back. Harry braced himself for the curses and punches that might be thrown at him. But Hermione took Ron's hand in hers and they looked back at him.

"Congratulations Harry, you must be thrilled mate"

Ron said though a small smile as if he wasn't sure what Harry's answer would be

"What? You're not angry? Ron I have knocked up your sister, fair enough I love her but… but .."

"Look you and Ginny are meant to be, that has been obvious for a long time mate and to be quite honest I had noticed you had been sneaking out at night."

Than Hermione joined in.

"And you were giving each other sneaky smiles every now and then weren't you"

Harry couldn't believe not only were they not cross but they didn't even seem that surprised. Ron stood up and Harry wondered if the punch was coming now so he stood up to take it like a man. But Ron offered a hand out to him Harry took it to shake it bat Ron pulled him onto a man hug.

"I'm glad its you mate, really I am"

They separated a bit awkwardly and Hermione came over and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Congratulations Harry. Right well I think this calls for a bit of a celebration!"

so they drank almost a thimble full of fire whisky each from the precious flask in Hermione's handbag and aver the evening Harry decided to come totally clean and tell his fiends everything. Harry told them about the taking paper and the ingenious plan that Harry had for getting into Hogsmede. A lot of time had passed since then and it was getting lose to Christmas but the trio had far more important things to worry about than Christmas they had been feeling increasingly threatened in there small sanctuaries and now didn't spend more than 12 hours anywhere. Something was drawing closer they could all feel it. The question was what it was? and how it would affect them.


	17. Chapter 17 A Close Encounter with Death

Chapter 17 

Christmas was approaching fast at Shell Cottage and Bill and Fleur had arranged to go and see some of their friends for the day. They had also arranged to go and see Molly and Arthur at the burrow and encouraged Ginny to join them they even offered to make special travel arrangements as she was now to far gone to appirate. But Ginny was still not ready to tell them let alone with twins. She had decided that Christmas was the best time to tell them however.

She still had not broken the news to Harry and so she decided to go out and go to her favourite writing place near the cliffs. Fleur and bill had already left the house when Ginny got up that morning and she had a quick bite to eat before she put on a coat and left the house. It was not fully light yet and there was still a light fog over the ground. She could now not walk far without a short break so the cliff top seemed further than she had remembered. She had not been there for a while and her grassy tuft looked over grown. There was not a breath of wind but the sea looked choppy. Ginny sat on the tuft and looked out at the sea she sat like that for some time. She had not has the chance to g outside for some days, it had been raining and the days were so short now. She pulled out the talking paper and laid it on her belly, as there was now not enough room on her lap, it was a bit awkward but it worked ok. She began to write.

"_J are you there?_

She waited a moment she had a feeling she would catch him, he was often around at this sort of time.

Yes my love I'm here 

_Oh what a stroke of luck. How are you?_

_I'm ok and you?_

_I'm getting huge now I have no room on my lap to write so I am writing on my bump!_

_You could be writing on my son's head!_

_I'm sure its fine I'm not pressing hard._

_I miss you a lot M I really do_

_And I miss you_

But then the baby kicked and jogged her, her quill almost went though the paper M are you ok? What was that? You loosing the ability to write? 

_No sorry the baby kicked_

_Wow really! I wish I could be there M I really do._

_Listen I had a check up with my opal person; you know the one I told you about?_

_The one who healed you that time?_

_Yes and she came to the cottage and gave me a check over to make sure everything is ok_

_And is it?_

_Yes the babies are fine and so am I_

_Babies?_

_Yes J I we are having twins!_

_We are? Wow that's incredible_

_Yes isn't it we are going to…….._

But then Ginny heard something from behind her, a breaking twig, but when she looked round there was nothing just another tuft in the distance she could just about make out its shape in the fog she turned back thinking nothing more of it and looked back out at the sea. The cloud cover was heavy today, maybe this fog would never lift there was even a light fog on the sea now but it had not yet reached the shore.

M? M? Are you ok? Talk to me? 

_Yes yes I'm fine_ _I'm up on my cliff and its foggy I just thought I heard something that's all._

_It's foggy?_

_Yes is it foggy with you?_

_Should you really be out in the fog? You could trip?_

_I'm not made of glass! And its only fog. Fog can't hurt anyone_

_Hmmmmm_

_Look would it make you feel better if I went back to the cottage?_

_Yes, yes it would. Do that for me_

_Well I want a bit of fresh air so I will walk the slightly longer way home onto the beach is that ok?_

_I suppose so, but be careful_

_I will talk to you soon I will only be about 15 minz I have to stop so sit down quite a lot now!_

_Ok be careful my love, I love you_

_I love you to, talk soon!_

Ginny rolled up the parchment and stuffed it in her coat pocket, she folded the quill in half and did the same with that. She got up and began to walk a little way down the cliff line where she knew there was a way to get down to the beach. As she was walking she kept hearing little scuffs from in the fog, a couple of times she stopped and listened for a moment but it was nothing. She got to the slope but the recent rain had made it narrow and slippery she would have to watch her step. It was starting get breezy she noticed when she got half way down there were roots that she could grip to in the cliff side but her progress was still slow because she couldn't really see her feet. Then some sand fell on her from above only a tiny bit and it went down the back of her neck making her look up suddenly. She saw a flash of black disappear, bloody crows that sand is going to really annoy me now she thought. But then she felt a deep rumbling like thunder but quieter and closer. She looked back up the path where she had just come from and in the tufty grass she could see two red eyes slowly opening to look right at her. It was like a living mound of grass and soil bit it was defiantly dog like. Ginny stood frozen up against the cliff she creature shifted a bit and Ginny realised its size it was far bigger than Ginny and it was rumbling like it could move the earth under Ginny's feet. She turned to run and she tripped and stumbled twisting her leg and banging her head.

Bill and Fleur got back late. It was dark and it was raining a bit.

"At least this rain will clear the fog"

"Yes your sea side English weather is perfectly 'orrid!"

Replied Fleur. Bill looked at her with a cheeky smile

"What?"

She said and bill continued to look at her with the cheekiest twinkle in his eye

"No you don't!"

She said pointing her finger at him, Bill rushed at her and chased her round the kitchen Fleur hooting with laughter. He caught her very quickly and kissed her passionately. Then he scooped her up and laid her out on the kitchen table.

"Bill no what about Ginny? She could come in at any time!"

"She's probably gone to bed"

And he went back to kissing her neck

"I would feel better if you checked!"

Bill let out a growling groan and went to the living room door, he opened it and bowed to Fleur watching him from the table

"There is no Ginny oh mistress!"

Fleur gestured her head to the stairs and bill lat out a sigh.

"She could just be in 'er room!"

So Bill leapt up the stairs 3 steps at a time and peered down the corridor Ginny had already turned her light off. And so he scooted back down jumping over the banister to cut the corner. And he began to walk towards Fleur lying on the kitchen table still.

"Ginny has already gone to bed, her light is off and everything, so I get you all to my self" bill kissed her tenderly and peeled off her coat. Then Fleur sat up and pulled bill close so that his hips were between her knees. She unbuttoned his cloak and lifted it off his shoulders. Bill bent down and kissed her neck as she unbuttoned his shirt to she his toned muscular body. Bill untied the ribbon to her cardigan and slipped it off her arms. They had short but beautiful sex on the kitchen table before tiptoeing upstairs to bed so as not to wake Ginny.

They woke up the next day feeling very 'refreshed!' They got up got dressed and bill knocked on Ginny's door to wake her up on his way by as he did every morning on his way down to breakfast. Fleur got some pancakes going and Bill sorted though his post.

"Who's a good sea breeze, yes you are, daddy's good girl"

Bill said to the owl as it sat on his shoulder nuzzling him lovingly.

"Are you talking to breeze? I am clearly not good enough conversation for him am I breeze?"

Fleur said laughing

"Don't worry my darling mummy and daddy aren't fighting"

Bill and Fleur laughed.

"Ginny has been a while Bill?"

"Maybe I didn't knock hard enough to wake her. I will go try again" the owl hopped down from bills shoulder onto the table and cooed at Fleur who began to talk to her. Bill went back upstairs and knocked on Ginny's door then listened, there was no sound so he knocked again,

"Gin?… gin you awake?…"

Bill waited but still no answer

"Gin I'm gonna come in"

He slowly opened the door and looked though the gloom to see her bed he walked up and reached out but as his eyes got use to the light he saw the bed was empty and not been slept in at all.

"Oh shit…"

Bill ran downstairs

"Fleur gins bed had not been slept in!"

Bill was grabbing for his cloak and boots

"WHAT?"

"Her bed has not been slept in Fleur Ginny is not here! She must be ot there somewhere!"

"OH BILL! Wait what if she is not, what if she has been taken?"

Bill froze horror stricken

"we cant take that chance, get hold of Aralniya there might be a way she can track that gem round Ginny's neck, and send word to work that I cant come in"

And he ran out of the door

"GINNY!"

Bill was shouting as loud as he could and the light spitting rain made it hard to see. Bill took off at a sprint. She's been out all night she is going to have frozen to death! She is carrying twins! She will have lost the pregnancy! She could have drowned in the sea! She needs the Esben treatment she could have a breaking episode at any time! She isn't carrying any spare flesh she is going to be so cold! I am looking for the dead body of my baby sister, and it is all my fault, if I had checked if I had just peeped though the door Arrggggg so fucking stupid this is all my fault!!!

Bill was roaring in the mist tears streaming down his face, what could he do there was nothing. He stopped running before his heart exploded and dropped to his knees. Bill took out his wand pointed it ahead of him and wheezed

"thermosum visuat"

The wand glowed blue and Bill tested it by pointing it at himself, and sure enough the light went though the spectrum to red. Bill struggled back up and set off at a jog pointing the wand all around him but the blue beam didn't change. He didn't have any idea what Ginny's regular haunts were but he remembered her mentioning a nice view from the top of the cliff, so he ran to where he though that might be. He wasn't looking and he almost tripped over a tuft of ground, there were no tracks nothing, they wouldn't have lasted from yesterday anyway.

"GINNY!"

Bill roared out to the beach, but there was nothing, he let his arm drop to his side in despair and clenched his fists and squeezed his eyes shut. He couldn't bare it there was nothing he could do, but what he was doing, and that wasn't working. He opened his eyes and looked down at his wand with the desire to snap it, but look it was green not blue, there was some heat near, Bill held it up and the green got brighter. Bill took off at a jog letting his wand guide him to a narrow track that lead to a path down the cliff. His wand light was yellowish now and so he scrambled down the path and slowed for the edge of the cliff. He looked down as he turned the corner to see great scrape marks in the ground like claws. Then Bill looked down the slippery narrow slope and there she was all small and crumpled nothing moved but her hair in the wind.

"Ginny!"

Bill scrambled down to her, her face was white and stone cold, and her coat was caught on a root, which must have been all that stopped her tumbling off the path and falling half the height of the cliff. Bill moved her head she was stiff like rigamortise and he flinched away looking at her totally sickened by what was in front of him. But then he got a grip of himself he was not going to let her go that easily, he managed to scramble round next to her and took a proper pulse he waited and waited and felt and felt, and then there it was, there she was alive! He took off his cloak and wrapped her in it as best he could. Be broke the thick root with his bare hands snapping it away front the cliff. This made Ginny's body slide a bit but Bill dug his fingernails into the ground and stopped them falling further. He had to find a way to get her off the cliff it was windy so he would struggle. He stood up and pointed his wand at her

"wingardium leviosa"

She lifted up and Bill guided her out so that she was floating over thin air over the edge of the cliff the wind caught her a bit but Bill reached out suddenly and managed to catch her hand. He then towed her up the cliff and as soon as he got to the top he plucked her out of the air into his arms, he couldn't risk her blowing away or him dropping her and so he began to walk as fast as he could towards the cottage. He only walked because there was no telling what injuries she might have and he didn't want to do her more damage by shaking her. It took him what felt like an age to get down the hill and back to the house

"Hold on Ginny just hold on"

Finally when Bill thought that he might make his lungs bleed he arrived back and burst though the door. Fleur rushed forwards and helped him to lie her down in the living room on the sofa.

"Just hold on Ginny host hold on"


	18. Chapter 18 A Foggoten Place

Chapter 18 

Harry, Ron and Hermione had not felt safe in their little tent for some time, and had been moving regularly. But Hermione had found them a good place this time. Harry's occlumency skills had become nothing if not extraordinary. He could hear the thoughts going on around him without the thinker being any the wiser. But there was something that also worried Harry. He was now able to manipulate people's thoughts as well as read them. He was becoming like Voldermort, he was able to construct dreams and put them in to people's heads. This ability worried him, it was like an impetuous curse, he was able to control the people around him so easily, everything from peoples small actions like picking up a paper, to their fundamental beliefs. As a result he suppressed the urge to do it, and even stopped reading the thoughts of Ron and Hermione, which didn't really matter because they only thought about each other anyway.

The trio arrived at their new campsite. The wind was the first thing to hit them. They were on a craggy granite cliff and the sea crashed at the rocks below them. They were on a small bit of grass, clearly inaccessible to muggles. Hermione pointed up the coastline.

"Look the tide is out and there is still water hitting these cliffs it must get quite high at when the tide is in."

She said in a slightly worried tone. Harry looked at her and smiled. She rolled her eyes in understanding that Harry had just said it will be fine and you know it with one smile. So Hermione started to set up the tent and cast their protection charms and wards. Ron had gone right to the edge of the cliff and was looking down over the edge with some curiosity. Harry walked up behind him and looked down to try and see what he was looking at.

"What is it mate?"

Harry asked. Ron looked closer

"There is a cave down there."

He said bluntly. Harry looked but he could see no cave

"Where?"

"Under here, right under our feet in the rock"

Harry looked again and he still could not see any evidence of one. Ron was acting slightly strangely; he had been for a couple of days. Harry decided that he needed to know what Ron was on about and breaking the promise he had made to himself he reached into Ron's mind. But to Harry's surprise he found a blank wall Ron was blocking him. Ron flinched a bit and Harry stopped immediately afraid he would be found out. Ron stood up straight still looking in the direction of the cliff.

"We can get in their Harry"

"What?"

"We can appirate into there"

"Hang on Ron, I can see no evidence of any cave and we could end up half way though a wall or even just into solid rock. Boom! The end of us! and probably the world coz we wont be here to save it"

"Harry we can get down there! Trust me!"

Ron had a slightly crazed look in his eyes and Harry wasn't at all sure if he did trust him right now. Then Ron grabbed Harry's arm and dragged him over to Hermione who he also grabbed. Then with a great crack they found them self's somewhere dark.

"RON WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING!"

Said Hermione snatching her arm away from him

"Where the hell have you brought us anyway?"

She scrabbled for a wand because everything was pitch black. But Harry beat her to it

"Luminous"

"I have brought you… to the cave"

Ron said this as he lit his own wand. They looked around and the cavern was huge at least 20m high and the floor was suspiciously level and clear. All 3 of them raised their wands to the back of the cave to reveal something carved into the rock itself, it looked like a temple. Massive stone pillars rose up either side of a wide staircase. It was like an Egyptian temple it was so immense.

"What is this place?"

Said Harry

" I can't be sure but I think we might have found the temple of Akwuila"

Said Hermione slowly in total shock.

"YES! I found something cool and useful right?"

Said Ron excitedly

"Yes Ron I think you have"

Together they slowly walked towards it holding their wand lights up to see the ornate carvings all over the front of dragons and eagles. The enormous arch entrance lead them into an entrance hall that bore striking similarity to entrance hall at Hogwarts there was a wide staircase leading up and way from them and arches round the ground floor. Ron began to walk towards one to the left side of the hall. Harry and Hermione followed the room that lead off the hall was also big and had a high ceiling. Each room was clearly carved straight out of the rock. The room was almost empty but there was a plinth in the centre that came up to waist height. As the trio approached they could see writing on the top. It was not English and not even normal letters it was thin and scrowlly. Hermione leant in close to look at it.

"What language is it? Can you translate it?"

Said Harry expecting even her to be stumped by this. But she spoke immediately.

" I have been expecting you 'three coven', the earth had expected you, feed me your frustrations and I will vanquish them"

They all stood stunned for some time before Ron suddenly burst out.

"Hang on how could you read that? Even if you recognised the script you aren't fluent in it, so how did you read it?"

Hermione stood back from the alter

"I … I ….. I just"

She stammered but then Harry interrupted

"Hang on Ron you are accusing Hermione and yet how did you know this cavern was even here you couldn't see anything from the cliff?"

Then Ron stammered the same as Hermione had done, but then he stopped and looked at Harry suspiciously

"Wait how do you know I couldn't see anything from the cliff"

They paused for a second then all suddenly stood back pointing their wands at each other in defence, frozen in the position they stood anxiously looking from person to person.

"How do we know you are really Harry at all you could even be possessed?"

Said Hermione accusingly

"How do I know you are really you! besides Ron is the one who can use occlumency to close up his mind!"

Harry snapped back

"What?"

Said Ron dropping his arms in exasperation

"I think we all have some explaining to do to each other don't we"

Said Hermione lowering her wand to.

At this point they appirated back up to the cliff side and sat in the tent to have a chat, they all admitted that they were finding new abilities within themselves. It turned out they Hermione had a learning ability far beyond that which she already had. She only had to glance at the cover of a book and she knew exactly what it said on every page, she knew who wrote it and who bound it and she could bring images into her mind of them doing it. She had also discovered that she could read any language and any script, she had taken 'know it all' to a whole new level. Then it was Ron's turn to own up. Ron could see feel though walls

"What the hell do you mean 'feel' though walls?"

Said Hermione narkily

"Its hard to explain… I don't see what's on the other side, but I can fell it. I can feel the shape and density of air, the air around us and in the cave, I don't know maybe with practice I will be able to feel the shape and density of anything. I don't know Hermione these abilities are new to me to!"

Ron said like a small child trying to justify being naughty.

"And Harry what can you do?"

Harry hesitated if he owned up, then he would have to admit he read their thoughts and planted dreams in their heads.

"ummm well I can ummmm.."

"Spit it out mate"

Said Ron impatiently

"I can read minds without the thinker even knowing, and I can create dreams and plant them in peoples heads and I can control my own to an extent I never thought possible."

There was a short silence from the trio before Ron blurted

"Is that it? I thought you would have something really cool"

But then Hermione spoke

"You have been reading us haven't you Harry? And you planted dreams in our heads"

Harry looked down ashamedly

"Oh Harry how could you! We wouldn't keep anything from you if you wanted to know something we would tell you without hesitation"

"I'm sorry"

"How could you Harry, god I feel so.. so… violated"

And then she stood up suddenly and knocked the table, a mug of water tipped off the edge. But Harry leant forward and caught it before it tipped over and spilt. He put it back on the table and sat back down. Then he looked up at Ron and Hermione and they were staring at him with eyes on stork's, mouths gaping.

"What?"

Said Harry slightly alarmed

"I knew you had something else I knew it!!!!"

Said Ron excitedly

"What? What are you talking about?"

"You have super speed!"

"What no I just…"

Harry stammered unsure of what Ron was trying to say. Hermione sat down and looked at Harry seriously.

"No Ron I don't think it is super speed."

"What? You just saw him didn't you he caught that mug out of the air and it only had a 1' drop and he did it from way over there! How is that not super speed?"

"No I think this runs deeper than that. Doesn't it Harry"

Harry was super confused now. What the hell where they talking about?

" Harry, you have been noticing things in more detail recently haven't you?"

"yer so?"

"And your reflexes are faster?"

"yer but what does that have to do with anything?"

Hermione looked at Ron, who looked just as confused as Harry did at this point.

"I think… You might be controlling time Harry."

She said carefully.

"What? Controlling time are you serious? How do you work that out then?"

Said Harry feeling a bit accused.

"You are noticing things because you are giving yourself more time to look, and you are acting faster because you are giving yourself longer to act."

Harry was speechless for a moment

"I … I … didn't even realise that I was doing it"

Hermione looked worried.

"You know Harry, if you can control the time around you, then there is a possibility that you could control the space to."

Harry's jaw dropped he couldn't believe what Hermione was telling him. They all sat for a while to let all this sink in a bit, there was a hell of a lot there to think about. Then Ron sat up and broke the silence

"Well Hermione is the cleverest witch to have ever walked the earth, I have got x-ray vision, or what ever, and Harry is the lord of space and time! I would say things are going pretty well for us really!"

Hermione laughed

"yer you might say that!"

Said Harry smiling. Then Ron spoke again

"Well come on then, now that we are all feeling honest and happy lets go and explore that temple!"

And before either of them could protest, Ron gabbed their arms and appirated them into the entrance hall of the temple. They decided to stick together as there was no telling what they might find, the first room that they had explored earlier turned out to be empty except for the plinth in the middle that they already discovered. They made there way though the rooms. One room had cloaks and brooms in it. But the brooms were unlike anything Harry had ever seen before they had feathers instead of brissles and the shaft was totally smooth and pearlesent. The next room had a chest in it. They decided to leave that for another time. The rooms had lots of useful things in them but the building was sinister and dark. The cavern was so huge that their wand light didn't travel very far. Even when they conjured patronesses they still felt uncomfortable because there were so many dark places they couldn't see in to. They eventually decided to return to the surface. It was dark outside, they hadn't even noticed how long it had taken them, so they decided to have a bite to eat and turn in. Harry went to bed with a huge weight off his shoulders he could imagine a future now and it wasn't so bleak as it seemed before. He slipped away into a relaxed sleep.

There was a noise outside and Harry woke up. It sounded like the wind but there was more to it. Then there was a whisper, a tiny voice in the breeze,

"Come this way, come to listen"

Harry felt uncontrollably compelled to follow the disembodied voice. He got up and pulled on a cloak over his shirt and boxers. He stepped out of the tent and found himself standing in the temple, he turned round quick but the tent had already disappeared from behind him. He was at the top of the sweeping staircase.

"Come this way follow me"

Harry could see some kind of light although it seemed bodiless and it allowed him to see only the path ahead of him. He slowly walked down the stairs wand at the ready. He got to the bottom and trod on the floor but his foot fell though and then the rest of the floor followed. Harry fell back onto the stairs watching the floor in front of him fall away to show what looked like black molten gold beneath it. It was bubbling furiously and it spat at him. A tiny blob hit Harry's leg and burned a whole in his skin, making Harry yelp in surprise and pain. Then he looked up, the bodiless light seemed to have gathered in front of him like a bright floating orb made of nothing but light.

"What is you name stranger?"

Harry heard in his head so he replied though his thoughts

"My name is Harry potter, and I want to know why I am here"

"Harry potter prophesy of three coven, tell me how do you like your temple?"

"My temple?"

"Come he waits for you"

Then the light dropped slowly and to Harry's astonishment it went straight into the boiling liquid below it. Harry looked around astonished at what he was faced with. But this was it, Harry knew exactly what he had to do, and this was the challenge a test of his nerve. Harry buttoned up the cloak and held his wand above his head in both hands. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, and then he dove off the staircase into the liquid. But no sooner had he hit the surface he found himself lying on a cold wet floor there was water dripping from the roof that hit Harry's face. He opened his eyes but it made no difference weather they were open or closed it was black either way. He quickly stood up and raised his wand.

"Luminous"

But it didn't work he tried again

"Luminous!"

Then her heard some movement ahead of him and so he froze and fell silent. Then a voice floated to him out of the darkness

"I have been waiting for you for a long time Harry potter"

Harry swallowed

"Who are you? Show yourself"

"I am your Akwuila, I belong to you I have waited here for 8 thousand years for you to come. I have waited 8 thousand years to hear your voice"

"What do you mean you have waited 8 thousand years for me?"

Said Harry slightly confused he didn't even know what he was talking to the voice seemed to be coming from all around him

"8 thousand years ago my people came to this place and built a temple here to house us while we waited. While we waited … for you. You and your 2 friends are the three coven. You are the prophecy, and to come here is your destiny."

Harry wasn't hugely surprised to find that he had yet another destiny in life, but he still felt uncomfortable in the dark like this.

"If you wish to serve me then I wish to see you"

There was a pause and then Harry could hear great scuffing sounds and he stepped back a little, from what he could hear it sounded like the entire wall was moving towards him. He looked up and then 2 eyes suddenly burst open they were as high as 2 storeys up and a brilliant white blue and they stared at him piercingly, and then in the same way as a deep sea fish would, light began to glow from its body. The light travelled over the creature's surface in intricate patterns stating at the head and down to the tail like a wave of light, revealing to Harry its shape and form. It was a great eagle, it was immense, bigger than any dragon Harry had ever seen, its head alone was the size of a small van and it would be taller than a 4-story building if it stood up straight. It looked at Harry and Harry couldn't move. He wasn't scared; it was as if he knew this creature already. The blue glow that it emitted was friendly and stunningly beautiful. It brought its head down to Harry. Harry smiled into its eyes.

" Hello Leviothen"

He said, he just seemed to know the name it just felt right like he had just foggoten.

"Hello Harry"

Harry walked closer then reached out a hand to touch its beak. It was smooth and not like horn at all. He walked along side the head looked into the massive eye, it reflected white and blue at him and was kind and thoughtful. Harry felt up and though the feathers on the head, they were so soft and smooth not like anything he had ever felt before.

This was a massive discovery.

"I have waited a long time for you to arrive Harry. I have spent to long in this cave. I haven't been able to stretch my wings for 8 thousand years"

"How do I get you out of here?"

"Not just yet Harry, for that you must bring your friends, you can talk to the temple Harry if you want light then ask for it. If you want information then ask for it. You must go now, you have a lot of information you have to tell your friends, I will see you soon."

But before Harry could say anything because there was so much he wanted to ask, his vision melted away and when he opened his eyes he was back in the tent in his bed. He jumped up suddenly.

"Ron Hermione wake up WAKE UP!!!"

Ron and Hermione jumped up

"What! what's wrong? Is it him is he here?"

Said Ron, flapping and getting tangled in his sheets before falling out of bed.

"No I have had an amazing vision there is an eagle a massive eagle and the temple and its put destiny and this light talked to me and I dove into this like black molten gold and its so cool he's called Leviothen and I have to take you guys with me and the temple was built just for us and …"

but Hermione interrupted she rushed over and grabbed Harry's arms to stop him waving them enthusiastically like a windmill!.

"Harry shuushh! Stop! Slow down. Now start from the beginning. What exactly happened?"

They all sat down on the sofa and Harry explained everything that he had done and seen. And that it was defiantly not a dream. He spent some time explaining and discussing what he had seen. But they came to the decision that they should sleep and explore it tomorrow.

Harry woke up very early and ventured outside with a cloak on, it was cold and windy so he wasn't outside for long. He went back in and picked up a book. The others were still asleep and so he left them for a while. The book he had chosen was a book on unusual magical creatures he was looking for his akwuila. He searched for some time with the talking paper laid out next to him. He liked to do this because he liked how existed Ginny got when he replied to her unexpectedly. He read though the book again and again and tried to find some evidence of what the hell loviothen was. Then some writing appeared on the talking paper

"_J are you there?"_

Harry smiled 

"_Yes my love I am here_

_Oh what a stroke of luck. How are you?_

_I'm ok and you?_

_I'm getting huge now I have no room on my lap to write so I am writing on my bump!_

_You could be writing on my son's head!_

_I'm sure its fine I'm not pressing hard._

_I miss you a lot M I really do_

_And I miss you_

But then her writing sprawled across the page, Harry wondered whether she had fallen off her chair or something had gone wrong

_M are you ok? What was that? You loosing the ability to write?_

_No sorry the baby kicked_

Wow thought Harry that's so amazing he wondered for a second whether he could feel the baby kicking if he put his hand on the paper but he couldn't

_Wow really! I wish I could be there M I really do._

_Listen I had a check up with my opal person; you know the one I told you about?_

_The one who healed you that time?_

_Yes and she came to the cottage and gave me a check over to make sure everything is ok_

_And is it?_

_Yes the babies are fine and so am I_

Harry decided that she must have just written it wrong 

_Babies?_

_Yes J we are having twins!_

Harry's jaw might as well have hit the floor and he couldn't believe what he had just been told he almost leapt into the air and shouted he wanted to shout and scream but he managed to stop himself, he didn't want to wake Hermione and Ron.

_We are? Wow that's incredible_

_Yes isn't it we are going to…_

Then Ginny stopped writing and Harry waited for a second and she didn't continue and he worried M? M? Are you ok? Talk to me? 

_Yes yes I'm fine_ _I'm up on my cliff and its foggy I just thought I heard something that's all._

Harry's heart skipped a beat when she said it was foggy. He knew that she was probably on her favourite place on a cliff and as soon as she said it was foggy his mind leapt back to his dreams about the attacks. He panicked a bit Thinking of Ginny in that situation, he stayed calm so that he didn't worry her and asked more questions

_It's foggy?_

_Yes is it foggy with you?_

_Should you really be out in the fog? You could trip?_

_I'm not made of glass! And its only fog. Fog can't hurt anyone_

_Hmmmmm_

_Look would it make you feel better if I went back to the cottage?_

_Yes, yes it would. Do that for me_

_Well I want a bit of fresh air so I will walk the slightly longer way home onto the beach is that ok?_

_I suppose so, but be careful_

_I will talk to you soon I will only be about 15 minz I have to stop so sit down quite a lot now!_

_Ok be careful my love, I love you_

_I love you to, talk soon!_

Harry felt more relaxed now. And he went back to his book. It might take Ginny a while to get home because she mist be quite big by now. Harry got immersed in his book, he could just wait patiently for Ginny to come back.


	19. Chapter 19 Everything we Could Ever Want

Chapter 19 

Hermione and Ron woke up that morning and they all had breakfast together. Spirits were high, but Harry's mind kept creeping back to Ginny, he could visualise her walking home though the fog. He announced to the others the good news about him fathering twins, and they were both thrilled for him, and there were lots of comments about hard work and various twins' jokes. For once just once things seemed to be going his way and Harry found his cheeks hurting because he hadn't smiled so much for a long long time.

Once they had finished laughing and having breakfast then they all went outside and Ron appirated them down into the cavern and they walked up the wide steps outside the temple.

"Now then in my dream vision thingy! Leviothen said that we could ask the temple for whatever we want"

Ron and Hermione looked at him sceptically

"Well look there's no harm in trying!"

he said pleading his case. He walked into the middle of the entrance hall and cleared his throat and spreading his arms a bit like a bird (he didn't know why it just seemed more dramatic!)

"Temple of Akwuila, we are the three coven, we want light"

There was a groaning from every wall and some dust trickled down from the roof. They wondered for a moment if the roof was going to cave in, but then there was a blinding white and it seemed to swallow them up, it surrounded them and it was like it was suffocating them.

"No no no that's too much light! Just enough to see clearly!!!!"

Shouted Harry as the others were shouting and protesting behind him. Than like water washing off a beach the light began it fade and what they saw was incredible! There first suspicions were correct, the temple had clearly been carved straight out of the rock. The walls were glowing with a golden haze. There were pillars about 3m in thickness coming from the top of the cavern. But the most amazing discovery was that there were carvings all over the walls. This temple was like an Egyptian palace it was stunning. They stood there frozen to the spot gaping at their new discovery, and then there was a whisper behind Harry coming from Ron

"So no only is he the lord of space and time now he can talk to buildings!"

Hermione giggled and Harry threw Ron a jokingly evil stare.

"Well what else do we want?"

Said Hermione

"Nice warm bath would be nice" there was a clang from a room behind a closed door up the sweeping staircase. They all looked at each other with a "what was that?" kind of look. But then Harry turned round to face the stairs again

"Temple of Akwuila, we want to know exactly about how you came into being and what uses you hold"

He shouted

"oo that's a good one" c

Came from Ron behind him. No sooner had Ron said that, and then an image, full of colour and light began to grow up around them like a bubble engulfing them. Then the same happened to all 3 of them the images became more then something they could just see, the picture was etched into there minds and they could feel the surroundings they were being shown. First they saw the earth from space at a great distance and all the stars glistening elegantly, and then there view swooped in to Greece. There was a temple and from what they could see it was even before ancient Greece, but the magic of the place was clear. Then their view turned way and swooped off travelling so fast that objects as big as mountains whizzing past at a million miles an hour. Then stopping suddenly at another similar temple in Egypt, this time it took them inside and in there was a great eagle just like Leviothen, it was gold and silver in colour and Harry could recognise the patterns, was clearly as much a part of the temple as the bricks and mortar. Then again they whizzed off and they seemed to be riding on the back of one of these great eagles moving at fantastic speed towards a cliff, dropping lower and lower as they went, clearly on a collision course but then the eagle dived suddenly into the sea easily making it though the rough breakers due to its pure size. It swam as well as it flew and they found themselves standing watching it go though a small underwater cave just below the surface, which clearly lead into their temple. The scene that met them was amazing, thousands of people stuck to the walls slowly shipping away to crate the cavern they were standing in and a group of what looked like ancient priests were greeting the eagle and the eagle bowed to them elegantly they were lead off to the right to a huge chamber full of candles. There was a painting at the end and the people around it praised it like an idol. The picture showed 3 wizards on the back of an Akwuila eagle with the world at there feet. Then the image slowly melted away.

They stood there stunned for a moment. Then Harry turned to the others

"Well its good at answering questions"

He said in a matter of fact way. They decided to split up into groups and explore their temple. Harry whipped out the talking paper every now and again just to check if Ginny was home yet, but it remained blank so Harry kept busy. The temple was immense far bigger than they originally thought. Their wand light had not travelled far and they had not realised just how massive the cavern was. Hermione went round looking at all the paintings on the walls showing historic stories and what was clearly meant to be them together. Harry ventured into the chamber that they had been shown in the vision and everything was just as they had left it.

"light all the candles for me please"

Harry called into the room and sure enough it lit up in a wave and Harry could feel the heat on his face. The painting was amazing the colours were just as vivid as the day it was painted. He walked up to it and looked at the wizard in the centre. He was tall and he looked powerful and strong, he looked like the man to save the world. Harry looked down at his reflection in a puddle on the floor and what he saw was very different, he was a young man drowning in the immensity of his situation looking more lost than strong and powerful. Then Ron cane tot eh door and Harry snapped out of his thoughts quickly to look at him.

"Looks much safer down here mate I am gonna go get the tent and stuff, gonna set it up down here"

Ron shouted across the chamber to him

"yer ok"

Replied Harry. He had assumed this was going to happen anyway. This place was defiantly home now. They searched though the rooms and they found a long narrow room with a thin strip of staging in the centre and padded walls. Another door lead to the biggest library Harry had ever seen, it was tall and at least 3 times the height and floor space of the one at Hogwarts. Hermione had to have a sit down when she entered that one. She had smiled up at Harry and merrily said

"I can tell you the complete history of 25 lost civilisations"

Harry smiled and nodded because she had a drunken giggly aspect to her. Luckily most of the shelves were curtained so Hermione couldn't see them. Harry realised that this was there exact pulpous, it might have killed Hermione if she had seen them all at once. But even with the curtains and her speed of learning it would still take week's maybe months to get around all of them. Another room had a large pool in the middle, but it was not water, it was like a heavy smoke that glowed a brilliant blue and swirled mysteriously. Ron had set up the tent in the middle of the entrance hall. And they had all explored the ground floor. They had a quick sit down in the tent and Harry pulled out the talking paper again but it was still blank.

"What's the matter mate?"

Said Ron with his mouth full of bread

"Oh its nothing, Ginny said hat she would talk to me once she had walked home but I suppose she has just got distracted or something, I'm sure she will be around later!"

Ron nodded.

"I think it is time we had a look upstairs!"

Said Hermione suddenly

"yer ok"

Said Ron and Harry together. They finished their drinks and stuffed the last bits of bread in there mouths and followed Hermione out of the tent. They made there way up the stairs and each went in a different direction at the top. They went though 3 different doors and disappeared. Harry's door was green and when he went though there was the most glamorous bathroom he had ever seen. It was even better than the prefects one at Hogwarts. There was a great golden dragon that when Harry asked poured water and bubbles. There was a gentle cascade of water down one wall and when Harry got close a goblet appeared in thin air filled itself and offered itself to him. Harry took it and the water he drank from it was so cool and refreshing it almost tasted sweet.

Then he heard a shout from back in the hall. He dropped the goblet and ran out to see what it was. Ron was in the hall jumping up and down beaming

"Look look look, it did listen look!"

He was pointing in though his door and there lo and behold was a nice hot bath steaming gently and Ron was getting a real thrill from it

"That must have been what the thump was earlier!"

He said excitedly

"Hang on why didn't you use your special.. Sight to look?"

Ron stopped being existed and looked a bit mopey and then mumbled

"I can only do it if I am quite close"

Hermione smiled and winked at Harry

"Oh dear so you can't go the distance?"

Then Harry and Hermione broke into fits of laughter than Ron was most put out at. The rest of Ron's room was a lavish kitchen and living area.

" And what's in your room Hermione?"

Asked Harry

"Come and look!"

She lead the way into a circular room that had 3 doors one green one red one blue. Harry immediately headed to the green one in the middle to reveal a beautiful bedroom, with a massive bed. There were colourful drapes all over and the floor had thick plush carpet, Harry couldn't have made it better if he had tried. Ron was whooping from next door and he had obviously found something very similar.

"The wardrobes are almost full to Harry really nice robes"

Said Hermione from behind him. He turned to her and she was joined by Ron.

" This is amazing we have everything we could possibly want! Lets get to work!"

They spent the rest of the day looking though the rooms and discovering functions of various things In the rooms downstairs Harry couldn't make the swirling pool do anything and no matter how many times he walked up and down the stairs and stamped on the floor, it didn't fall in and there was no boiling pool of molten black gold. Harry pulled out the talking paper every 5 minz but there was never anything on it. She must have just got busy I'm sure everything is fine. That evening they settled down in there new quarters. They moved all there stuff out of the tent and the kitchen made them whatever the wanted to eat with just one word.

They went to bed late, they had done a lot today and Harry still had more thinking to do. He worried about Ginny and what she could be doing, he also worried that maybe if the priests they had been shown in the vision had met the three of them then they would be bitterly disappointed. This got to Harry a lot, he hated the fact that people could be disappointed by him, he lay awake as long as his body would let him staring at the talking paper waiting for some kind of sign that Ginny was ok but none came, and eventually his lost his battle to stay awake.


	20. Chapter 20 The Fear of Fear

Chapter 20 

The street was dark and the air was icy enough to cut into any bare skin like daggers. The wind was bitter and it blew a frost over the ground like ghosts circling menacingly. A figure, hooded and cloaked stood alone in the dark street. This figure was hostile and motionless. Another figure appeared at the other end of the street as if from nowhere. That second figure looked from left to right then walked purposefully to the other one. The first figure still didn't move. When the moving figure reached the first he stopped and bowed his head. The first figure reached out a long white boned hand and lifted the figures head without touching him.

"My lord I am afraid there is still no sign of the boy or his companions, your servants search thoroughly and relentlessly"

The upright figure made no sound but reached out his hand again to the bowing man and placed it on his shoulder. The bowed man lifted his head again to look at him.

"That's not good enough"

The hunched man buckled and crumpled in terrible pain and then fell motionless on the ground. The figure withdrew his hand and stepped over the body, once he was three steps away his figure turned to black smoke and he trailed off into the wind. The body remained in the middle of the street crippled and undignified. Then the body disintegrated into black liquid bile and trailed off into the sewer at the side of the road leaving only the bones protruding frighteningly through the black cloak that covered them. Then they to disintegrated into dust and the wind blew them but they stuck on the cobbles, there is not even an escape in death.

Harry sat up suddenly and his wand lit up beside him even though he was not touching it. He looked at his clock to see it is 8.30, this is the longest he had slept in for months. He looked at the talking paper, but it remained blank. He carried it over to his desk and he put on some clothes only taking his eyes off it for a second at a time. Then he sat down at his desk. He picked up a quill but he was so afraid of what silence might follow his words on the paper.

Hello? Are you there? I am worried you said that you would come back and you didn't, please let me know that you are ok?

Harry sat there for a long time looking at the space below his own words, wishing and hoping that the reply would come, that she had just forgotten. He stared and stared and still no reply he clenched his eyes shut and wished so hard he could feel the desk under his hands trembling, and he could hear the objects on it quacking with hope and passion and fear. Harry found himself consumed with the very thing her feared most, which was fear its self. He was so afraid and so wanting that the desk and the objects around him lifted from their places and floated under such tension. Then he opened his eyes and his desk and objects dropped which a crunch, a glass goblet fell and rolled off the desk smashing on the floor.

_Hello?_

There was a reply! and Harry was almost sick as the tension and control dropped from his body with the relief.

_Hey sexy! I was so worried where have you been? Did you forget about me?_

_No_

_Oh you think its funny to tease me? I am going to tease you with sex games for nights on end when I get hold of you!_

_Actually this is Fleur_

_Oh_

Harry sat for a moment considering what he had just read. It was quite a shock not to mention that he was quite embarrassed.

_Fleur? What are you doing? Where's gin? What's going on!!! What's happened!_

_Oh Harry I am so sorry…_

But before Fleur could finish writing Harry had scribbled over what she was writing aggressively and jabbed into the paper in rough angry writing.

_WHAT THE HALL IS GOING ON WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO MY GINNY TELL ME NOW!!_

There was a short pause and Harry was kicking himself he might have scared Fleur and he was trying to control the anger and fear that was welling up inside him

Oh Harry, we came back last night and we thought she was asleep already and we didn't check but she had a fall whilst out walking and she was out all night and now she is in such a bad way Aralniya is here and she is doing what she can but…

Then the writing just stopped, and Harry knew exactly what this meant he was shaking but all the anger towards his situation had flown away to give space for a deep dark weight that stuck in Harry's chest, as if his heart weighed ten tons. He clenched his eyes shut desperate to control his shaking he took a deep breath and made an effort to focus.

_Is she with you at home right now?_

He wrote pressing his quill as hard as he could into the paper but there was no strength left in his hands.

_Yes she is what are you going to do?_

But he had no time to answer this question, he leapt from his seat and grabbed the invisibility cloak he shoved on some shoes then grabbed the talking paper. Sprinting from the room he almost pulled the door off its hinges he used such force. He burst into Ron's room without knocking to find Ron face down but waking up in an undignified manor as Harry entered the room.

"What the hall is the matter mate what's wrong?"

Harry didn't really know where to start and he stammered and stumbled over his words panting as he went, and shaking slightly from the shock.

"Its Gin she's not well so I am going to her, now take this paper, I will see anything you write on it. and you will see what I write, I'm sorry to leave you"

Then he stuffed the paper into Ron's chest as Ron looked up at him totally confused and a bit horrified and before he had time to say anything in protest Harry had turned and run out of the door. Harry was running so fast his feat hardly touched the floor. He sprinted to the small side room in the entrance hall where the cloaks were. He smashed though the door

"Accio broom!!"

He said it with such force that the broom shot towards him and almost knocked him off his feet. As soon at his fingers wrapped round it he appirated out f the temple to the surface. He took away the element of risk by deliberately appirating to several meters higher then he thought he needed. The cold air hit him like daggers and blew him through the air and set him off balance he was plummeting to earth at an angle he hadn't expected. But before he could hit the ground he had appirated again and he was thrown onto a new rough course ground, he looked up though the murk there was rain in the air but he could see a small light a long way off. This is why he had brought the broom. He mounted and kicked off. And wow! This broom had an acceleration like nothing Harry had ever felt before, he almost slipped straight off the back but his hands clenched the shaft so tight it made his knuckles feel like they could separate at any second. He could feel his hands rubbing and slipping making his palms blister very quickly but still he pushed it on faster and faster. He was now whipping across the ground as such speed that the grass behind him was ripped up in his jet stream. But his concentration was such now that he was healing the ground up behind him like water flowing back into a gap. The fine rain whipped at his skin and although the invisibility cloak covered him the rain was stabbing into him as if he was being showered with pins.

Suddenly the house shot into view and he pulled the broom up hard so as not to hit it. His chest was heaving; he ran to the door and thumped on it with his fist, shaking the small bit of stained glass in its centre. Harry leaned on the door with his fist and looked down at his feet fighting for his breath. He was shaking with anger frustration and fear there were some shouts from inside, and the door quickly flung open Harry practically fell though it. He was obviously panting loudly enough for the others to hear him because Fleur looked straight at him

" She is with Aralniya right now 'arry"

Harry then looked to his side to see a woman slowly and floatily come out of the lounge; she was dressed all in blue and looked like a mixture between a nun and a nurse. She had her back to him as she closed the door behind her. Harry had stopped panting; he was looking to intently at this stranger who he assumed was Aralniya. Suddenly the woman froze, still with her back to him, Fleur and Bill were looking at her to, so she had no way of seeing Harry under the cloak. She spun round quickly and sharply, Harry was taken aback by these frightening eyes, they were pure blue with no centre and they swallowed him up, and her expression was shocked and unwelcoming. She looked right at him then her arm shot up and she pointed her finger to between Harry eyes and advanced on him and said in a deep booming voice that was startling.

"You… you will remove your dark magic! Your cursed filth and return to your form"

Harry was so frightened that he whipped off the cloak and threw it on the stairs behind him, as he stood flat against the wall. As soon as the cloak was off Aralniya's expression changed and melted instantly

"You must be Harry potter."

Harry was still a bit too shocked to move he was certainly not expecting that kind of reception. He looked at Bill and Fleur across the kitchen, who looked just as confused as he did, what the hell did she have against the cloak?

"Yes I am Harry Potter and I want to know what happened to my Ginny?"

Aralniya looked at Harry in an unthreatening way, which relaxed Harry (which was surprising considering how hostile she had been a few seconds ago) Aralniya looked over to Bill with a penetrating and meaning full stare. Harry turned to look at him to.

"I'm so sorry Harry, I know we promised to look after her. We got back from visiting friends and we assumed she had gone to bed, this morning we found her bed unslept in and went to look for her, she had taken a fall out walking."

At this point Bill chocked and he looked down he couldn't bare to look at Harry's face anymore

"She'd been out there all night in the rain and everything, and I … I …. I'm so sorry"

Bill brought his hand up to his face to cover his eyes and Fleur went over and wrapped her arms around him, stroking her hands though his hair.

"Where is Ginny? And what … what…. What state is she in?"

Harry stumbled over the words, he was so afraid of what the answers were going to be.

"Your lady is alive, but she had a head injury and a broken leg. The broken leg is now fixed, but I have to use muggle methods for the head injury. The magic is too strong and the Esben treatment may not work properly if I used magic to treat her, which has far more serious implications Harry potter"

Harry was hypnotised by Aralniya's voice he felt curiously drawn to her like a gentle magnet just tugging at the back of his mind. He looked at her still a bit unsure as to what to think of her.

" I want to see her"

He said quietly but firmly

"Alright you may see her, but she cannot be upset in anyway do you understand Harry potter?"

"Yes"

Aralniya put her hand on the door and pushed it open. Harry felt like his stomach was so heavy it was almost crippling him. He took steps towards the door. He could hardly breath his chest was so constricted. The room was dark and Harry didn't even realise that the door had been shut behind him. He looked down at a small put-you-up bed. Ginny looked small and if her belly didn't make a small bump in the sheets Harry felt he wouldn't even see her. A lump came into Harry's throat he couldn't swallow and his mouth went dry, he went over to her limp form. She looked golden as the low sun shone dull though curtains at the window. He looked at her and he could feel tears rolling down his checks. He made no noise and he suppressed his sobs so hard that it hurt. He dropped to his knees and looked at her face, she hardly looked like his Ginny anymore she looked so draw so tired, so ill. He raised a hand and touched her check she was almost cold to the touch. Her eyes slowly opened and looked blankly ahead. Harry leant down to her sight line but she seemed to look straight though him. Harry had never felt so rejected in his life.

"Gin? Ginny, its me my love it's Harry"

He whispered though his sobs, but Ginny rolled her head around and looked confused. Harry felt really scared now, she couldn't see or hear him, this head injury must be serious she was not able to do anything. Harry felt the sharp pang of panic run through him, and he stroked at her face, somehow hoping that his contact would bring her back to him, this wasn't his Ginny it wasn't her at all, just an empty shell. Then the body looked up.

"Harry?"

She looked towards him but Harry wasn't convinced she could see him still, she still looked straight though him.

"Gin? Ginny it's me I'm here"

She looked all around him searching for him, but then their eyes met and she froze Harry let out a sigh of relief. Then Harry's scar flashed and burned suddenly, and he saw the face of a great black dog in a reflection in Ginny's eyes. It felt like being thumped in the chest, just as quickly as the image had appeared it disappeared. Harry was left fighting for his breath and Ginny screwed her eyes shut and turned her head away. Harry caught his breath and brought his head to hers, resting his forehead near her ear.

"Oh Gin I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry."

Then Ginny looked at him again and Harry instantly saw a change in her, she was there, it was Ginny again.

"Harry?… What happened?"

then there was terror in her eyes and she grabbed her belly to check it was still there and as soon as she felt it she relaxed back into the bed.

"You took a fall out walking"

"No no not a fall, there was a… a…. I don't know, I cant …"

"Its ok don't strain yourself just lie there."

He stoked her face affectionately. And smiled into her eyes, the relief of having her there was more than could ever be expressed in words.

"Will you stay with me Harry, please"

Ginny choked though tears.

"Yes I will stay with you I promise I will stay until you are better. I'm not going to leave you gin, not for 1 minute"

he let his head lie down on her chest and she laid her thin arms over his back.


	21. Chapter 21 The Heaviness

Chapter 21

The street was dark but not unfriendly the full moon flooded it with a pleasant white light, there were lights on in each house and some houses had charismas lights in the windows and wreaths on the doors. There was one house right at the end of the street small and unremarkable, you would have walked past it if it hadn't been pointed out. It was made of grey stone and had a few sparse but unusual flowers in the garden, the lights were on upstairs and a faint thumping could be heard from one of the rooms at the back of the house.

Tonks sat on the floor with her back to a door, the door had multiple lock going up it large pad locks and bolts all the way down to the floor. Tonks sat quite casually resting a set of knitting on her bump. She seemed to be knitting a long multi coloured sock.

"How are you feeling my love"?

She said barely raising her head from her knitting. There was some smashing and crashing from behind her and a deep long roar.

"Oh well not to worry. You know I think this jumper has got a bit long"

She said holding it up and looking at the slightly holey misshapen thing she had just knitted.

"Well its all good practice!"

She said to herself cheerily! Pulling the needles out of it and throwing it onto a small pile beside her of similar looking attempts.

" You know it is probably better that this is happening now!"

Then there were howls and scraping sounds from the other side of the door so Tonks had to speak up.

"It's my due date next week and so we don't have to worry about that inconvenience"

She held her knitting up again to see that she had already missed 4 stitches, and she let out a disgruntled sigh but decided to carry on anyway. There was quite a long time when she didn't say anything. Then she slid her knees to the side and laid her ear on the door, all she could hear was a faint growling.

"I wonder how Harry is getting on?"

Then there was a massive crash shaking the door and making Tonks jump back, and her hair flushed red for a moment as she frowned at the door.

"Fine then we wont talk about it, its not like this is a 2 way conversation anyway is it."

She slumped back to her position with her back against the door.

"It will be Christmas soon, we will have to check the calendar and see if we can find a time when we can go away and visit everyone, Fleur and Bill are probably having all the same first year together problems we are. Although I don't think Fleur sits outside a locked door talking to Bill as he tears the room apart in a wolfy rampage."

She said this in a very matter of fact way, they had clearly been here many times before.

"I am going to have a quick sleep my love I will be back before dawn…. Reamus? Wolfy are you ok"

She leant in to the door to listen, and then there was an enormous crunch against the door and the most almightily growl practically shaking the glass in the windows.

"Ok I love you too night night, have fun"

She said over her shoulder as she disappeared up a short flight of stairs to a room on the right. She left the door open, she actually found it quite comforting to be able to hear him crashing about, a bit like women who like it when there men snore, its nice to know they are still breathing.

A few hours passed and although it was still pitch dark it was clear dawn was coming. Tonks woke up and ambled casually out of the room at the top of the stairs. She slumped past the door with many locks but didn't stop and continued down the second flight of stairs and just talked as she went.

"How are you feeling my love?"

She said with a yawn, which was followed by an enormous crash as if an elephant with a bad attitude had just run flat out into the door.

"Good good!"

She replied still without stopping. She came back a few moments later with a small box and a mug full of tea, with an empty mug in the same hand as the box. She slid down the wall sitting herself on the floor again so that she could see the door. She took a few sips of her tea as the crashing in the room next to her continued. Then she crossed her legs and pulled the box onto her lap. She opened it up and began to fiddle with the things inside it. Pulling out rolls bandage and small bottles, turning them over in her hands to read instructions and information.

"You know it is a great shame that potion made you angry all the time, but when I think about it I much rather having you like this, this way I get the man I love for most of the time and a scary monster for one night a month. But then some women have grumpy men as the norm."

She got out a syringe and examined it closely. She then rested all the things she had chosen on the top of the box and struggled to her feet.

"Don't worry not long now my love"

She looked out of the window and could see the halo of light on the horizon; the moon was becoming dimmer and dimmer until Tonks could hardly make it out in the red sky. Suddenly there was a huge loud long howl from the locked room that made Tonks jump at first but she went back to looking out of the window. The growls and roars that were erupting from the room were now near deafening and becoming increasingly more human, until all that could be heard was a man screaming in pain. Tonks winced, she hated this bit, and she almost felt the pain for him. Then the screaming slowly stopped and there was silence. Tonks looked at the door with a slightly worried look, but nothing happened. She went over to the door and laid her head against it to listen but she could hear nothing. Then there was some scuffing and she stepped back still with both hands on the door. Then there was a "bang bang bang!". Tonks beamed and went to work on the locks, there was a lot of them and not all of them could be opened with her wand once they were all done she stepped back and the door opened a crack.

"wolfy"

Tonks said in a small tentative voice. Then sure enough a figure staggered out of the door hunched and clutching his side, a totally naked Lupin. Tonks walked to him and put both hands on his cheeks and kissed him tenderly. Then when she pulled away she pulled something out of her mouth that looked like a wood splinter.

"wolfy why have you got wood in your mouth?"

She said smiling at him

"I think I may have eaten half the skirting board last night"

He said coughing a bit and pulling bits from his own mouth. Tonks lead him up to the room at the tp of the stairs and laid him down on the bed. She grabbed the box she had been sorting though and set to tending to his wounds, dabbing them gently with a potion, her touch was soothing and was sending Lupin to sleep. Once she had done she slipped onto the bed beside him and fell asleep wrapped in his arms.

They slept for some hours, after all neither of them had had much sleep last night. But by lunchtime they had got up refreshed, and gone downstairs for breakfast. Tonks was making bacon butties and Lupin was bending over the kitchen sink coughing up bits of wood and washing his mouth out as best he could. Tonks looked out of the window as she leant over Lupin to reach for a spatula.

"Wow it must have been really cold last night my invicafig lily's seem to be looking a bit sad, they usually survive frosts"

She said almost taking to herself, then there were loud gagging and retching sounds from Lupin so Tonks gave him a thump on the back causing him to cough up what looked like cupboard door handle, that clattered in the metal sink.

"Better?"

"Much thank you"

Lupin replied as he spat out some more mouthwash for about the 17th time. Once he was finished he opened the window to let out the smell of damp wood and sat down at the table across from Tonks, who had just served up a warm bacon buttie for him. They didn't speak, but the smiles that passed between them were far more expressive then words, there love for each other was clearly enough to fill the room and although there was cold air flowing though the window, they both felt warm, just to be there with each other. Lupin gave Tonks a cheeky grin that she returned, and he was just about to jump at her scoop her up and kiss her passionately, when an owl hooted on the window ledge holding a small envelope. They had been so engrossed in each other they hadn't even noticed it land there. Lupin got up and gave the owl a small bit of the crust from his bacon buttie, he took the note and the owl disappeared into the cold sunshine, and Lupin closed the window behind it

"What's that wolfy love?"

"I don't know? We weren't expecting anything"

He turned it over in his hands as he went back to sit at the table.

"Looks a bit like Bill's writing but, it's a bit rough for him, and its got a restriction ward on it look at the seal, _only to be read by Nympfadora Tonks and Reamus Lupin, _he and Fluer were only here yesterday_"_

He looked up at Tonks puzzled.

"Well open it up lets have a look"

She said leaning in to see. Lupin broke the seal, unfolded the paper and began to read it aloud to her.

"_Tonks and Lupin_

_I am sorry we are terrible liars, when you came to visit us a while ago and Ginny was here we said she was visiting, she was really here because she is pregnant with Harry's baby. And the CMBD has made it really dangerous, and then she took a fall and was out all night and its ALL MY FAULT!! And now she is almost dead and we need some, support please, I'm so sorry to ask and sorry we lied and so sorry. I'm so so sorry._

_DON'T TELL ANYONE AT ALL!! PLEASE_

_Bill"_

Lupin and Tonks stayed there for some time just staring at the paper in shock. That was certainly not what they expected to thrown at them. Tonks sat back in her chair with a concentrating frown on her face, Lupin remained frozen his eyes stuck to the paper. Then Tonks suddenly got up and rummaged though a cupboard starting to hurriedly fill a bag of cans and foodstuffs

"Tonks what are you doing?"

Said Lupin suddenly snapping out of his trance.

"Well if Ginny is very ill then they are not going to have time to go food shopping are they?"

Lupin nodded this made sense but he still stayed glued to his chair staring into space. Then Tonks stopped what she was doing and looked at him flabbergasted.

"WELL DON'T JUST SIT THERE! Go and get cloaks shoes something!"

"Oh right!"

He said jumping up and running out of the room. Within minutes they were dressed ready and had bags of food and consumables. Lupin helped Tonks into the fireplace once he had thrown down the floo powder.

"Shell cottage"

She shouted seriously the second she had disappeared he jumped into the fire to follow her.

They arrived at Shell Cottage with seconds between them. The room they entered had a terrible atmosphere. Bill sat slumped on the stairs near the door with his head in his hands, Fleur sat at the table with her face all red and swollen surrounded by tissues, a woman in blue robes sat opposite her with a mug of tea. Fluer looked up as soon as they appeared, and jumped up and wrapped her arms round Tonks in floods of tears

"Oh Tonks,"

She sobbed

"We let her down we tried, and she took a fall, and we didn't check, and its all just…."

But she couldn't get the words out. Tonks put her hands round Fleur's back and threw Lupin a shocked look. Lupin's expression reflected her own. He looked round the room stunned at the scene that had met them, they knew things would be bad but somehow they just hadn't expected everyone to be so resigned to it all. Lupin took the bag from Tonks and placed that, and his own on the counter beside him. The woman in blue did not look up, she seemed to be the only one who wasn't behaving like the world had come to an end. Lupin stood and stared at her back for some time, and then he heard in his head like a whisper or a faint thought

"Have a good look werewolf"

Lupin broke his gaze immediately and looked way as if her was embarrassed but the woman in blue didn't move. Tonks had sat down at the table next to Fleur, and Lupin was now looking over at Bill. Bill had also not moved since they entered the room, infact Lupin was not even sure he knew that they had arrived at all. Lupin slowly shuffled over to him and then bent over to put his hand on his shoulder. Bill looked up, his face was red he had been clearly crying but wasn't anymore.

"Hay mate how you holding up"

Said Lupin with a sympathetic smile, Bill coughed a bit and then spoke in the smallest most vulnerable voice Lupin had ever heard pass his lips.

"We've been better… listen sorry we kept if from you and all"

"No its ok don't apologise I understand, you were protecting your sister."

Lupin swivelled round and sat on the stair next to Bill. They just sat there in silence for a long time; nothing more needed to be said.

Lupin had over heard Fleur telling Tonks all about what happened and explaining that the woman in blue was Aralniya. Every now and then Aralniya would get up and go into the lounge where Ginny was, just to check on her. Lupin and Tonks had not seen Harry but they knew he was there. Lupin was desperate to see him. He could directly sympathise because if Tonks got ill then he knew he would be next to dead with worry. Not a lot was said.

The moors outside got darker and the evening sun shone though the window in shafts of light falling on the table in bright shapes. Everyone sat not talking but putting on a brave face. There was some shuffling next door and everyone stopped what they were doing. Then the door slowly opened and a very dishevelled Harry shuffled though. He was looking at the floor. His hair had dried shaggy from the damp and his clothes were crumpled, he could hardly walk because he had clearly been keeling at Ginny's side for hours on end. Tonks went over to him and shut the door behind him coaxing him over to sit at the table. Everyone's eyes followed him. He slumped in the chair and eventually looked up a bit.

"I… ummm…"

But poor Harry couldn't think of the words. Aralniya got up and went into the lounge; Ginny's shouldn't be left alone.

"How are you baring up Harry"

Said Lupin taking a seat next to him (but not daring to touch him, not even a hand on the shoulder). Harry hung his head and this replied to Lupin's question. Aralniya came back out leaving the door open.

"Her fever worsens I cannot use magic to fix it, we must use muggle methods, I think we should move her upstairs, a plain bedroom will be easier to treat her in. Fleur nodded and went upstairs to ready the room. Bill and Lupin looked at each other and Lupin spoke as he went to stand up.

"Ill carry her up."

Harry's arm shot at Lupin with such speed that no one even saw him move. He lifted his head and managed to speck in a shaky voice.

"No, I will do it"

He said. Lupin sat back down and watched Harry cross the room to the lounge door. When he came back out Ginny was folded in his arms. Although she was now heavily pregnant with twins Harry seemed to have to make no effort to carry her, her arms and legs were so thin; her skin was grey and sallow. Her head rested limply against Harry's shoulder. Tonks clasped her hand to her mouth in horror and shock, because Ginny looked so dead, there was no life in her, none at all, even her fiery red hair seemed to look flat lifeless. The room Harry carried her to, was the same one he had done before. He couldn't help but feel that every time he went to see Ginny she was getting worse.

Fleur had set up a comfy chair next to the bed for Harry. She had made the decision that he would not want to leave her. The evening wore on and every second seemed as long as 5 minuets. It came to about 6 o'clock and Aralniya came up with food and water for ginny. Harry was sitting in his chair leaning over the edge of the bed rubbing his head on her shoulder. He didn't even look up when Aralniya entered the room. She put down the tray and immediately placed her hand on Ginny's chest.

"She is getting even worse, her fever is still growing, we should try to get some sustenance into her, the weaker she is the less of a fight her body can make."

Harry sat up and propped Ginny up a bit. Aralniya started with a glass of water. Ginny was barley conscious but still turned her head away from the water, showing her reluctance. Harry reached out his hand and slowly took the water from Aralniya.

"Let me try"

Aralniya smiled and let him take it.

"I will leave you to it Harry Potter, there is water and soup there for you aswell."

Harry looked over at it but to some extent he understood exactly how Ginny felt about food. Putting anything in his mouth was the last thing that he wanted to do. He gently managed to get Ginny to drink most of the water and a bit of the soup.

Back downstairs there were discussions as to what was happening and what the future held.

"Harry cant stay here long Bill, he puts you all in danger"

"How can I ask him to leave Lupin, how can I"

Then Tonks spoke up

"Lupin's right Bill, if the dark lord finds out that Ginny is pregnant with Harry's child then she is a prime target"

Bill hung his head

"We know ziz, zat is why she is 'ere we are keeping 'er a secret, and even now she is getting zee best care, and she doesn't even 'ave to go to st mungos for it"

Lupin sat at the table and clasped his hands in front of him. This discussion had been going on for some time rolling over the same issues again and again, and coming up with no answers. It was now almost 9pm and everyone was emotionally exhausted.

"I think we aught to go home now, it's late and you want some peace"

Said Tonks, Fleur nodded in return and Bill got up to fetch their cloaks.

"I will just go and get the tray of food, and say god bye to Harry and Ginny"

Tonks slowly moved up the stairs, everyone was being quiet everywhere almost as if they thought if they were too loud they might wake the house up. Tonks entered the room slowly and quietly. Harry had his shoulder on the back of the chair, he was facing Ginny, he had her hand clasped between his. She was shivering and sweating all over, and stirring slightly a bit like she was having a bad dream. Tonks looked at the tray, to see that there was one full glass of water and one untouched soup along with another that had had a small amount taken from it.

"She is so small, the pneumonia is just swallowing her up"

Said Harry as if he had a tennis ball lodged in his chest. Tonks looked at Ginny but she turned away, it was too painful to watch her, she walked to Harry and put her hand on his shoulder, and smiled up at his face. When he finally looked at her, Tonks almost wished he hadn't his great green eyes were piercing and emotionally bleeding with the pain of what was going on around him.

"Stay strong ok, you are the strongest human that has ever lived Harry potter, you are living proof of survival Harry, stay strong for her, stay strong ok."

Harry nodded and knew that this was a leaving speech. She stood up straight and took the tray. Without another word she left the room. For a moment Harry considered going back into his little pit of depression but then something changed in him, Tonks was right, he had to be strong for Ginny, he was after all trying to save the world for her. He could hear voices and farewells being said downstairs, and then a silence and only the sound of tidying.

Harry reached out his hand and stroked Ginny's head, this seemed to sooth her a lot, and she stopped shaking and relaxed into a sleep. Once Harry was sure she was asleep, he got up and left the room making his way downstairs. Fleur was washing up at the sink, and Bill was clearing the table of bits and pieces. They both looked at Harry as he came down.

"She's asleep now"

He said running his hands though his hair in an attempt to tidy it up a bit

"I.. umm I am going to need Ginny's talking paper please."

He said standing up straight and finally talking rather them mumbling.

"Yes of course iz zere anysing else I can get you 'arry, some toast?"

She quickly dried her hands and took the piece of parchment out of her pocket

"yer thanks, some toast would be nice."

Harry sat down with the paper, it made him smile a bit inside, there was writing all over it from both Ron and Hermione.

_Oiii what the hell is going on? What's wrong with Ginny why the rush why the hell u so het up?_

_Harry don't listen to Ron he is just being unhelpful! Tell us what is going on Harry in your own time?_

_No don't listen to her she isn't frantic! I want to know what is happening to my baby sister!!!_

The messages went on like that for quite some time filling the page to almost every cm they had clearly degenerated towards the end to:

"_WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON!!!"_

Harry didn't really know where to start so he rolled it up and unrolled it to clear the page and he put pen to paper.

_Its me don't say any names we don't know how safe this is so you are H and R._

_Your sister is safe now; she took a fall out walking and ended up out all night, by no ones fault. She had pneumonia and is very sick, but she is getting the best of care and I am going to get her though this I promise. I am not going to leave until I am happy that she is better. Look after yourselves. It is not safe for you to come to, I will give you daily updates, try and find out more about the tools that have been given to us,_

_Talk soon from H_

As soon as he had finished writing Fleur had placed a small plate and 2 bits of toast in front of him. He smiled at her as best he could. Bill came and put his arm round her and led her towards the stairs to bed. Aralniya sat down opposite Harry.

"Do you want one slice, I'm not sure I can manage both"

Harry mumbled to her

"Thank you Harry Potter but I have no need for food"

Harry took a knife and began to spread some butter on them

" What do you think is going to happen to my Ginny?"

He asked looking down not sure he wanted an answer.

"If she makes it through tonight then she has a 50/50 chance of living"

This stabbed Harry a bit, but he had somewhat prepared himself for it. So he changed the subject so that he didn't have to think about the statistics of something so important, far too important for statistics.

"Aralniya, tell me what is your problem with my cloak?"

Alaniya's soft features and gentle expression contorted into a nasty sneer as if the very foundations and bone structure of her face had changed.

"Nasty dark magic, you bring a hallow here, they should have been destroyed when my people had the chance. When you wear it you are drenched in blood, and all I can see is tortured soles trapped and dragging along behind you people who have died for what you have"

Her words seemed to almost go over Harry's head, he wasn't frightened, and he wasn't worried.

"I need the cloak and I am not giving it up."

With that he stood up with his plate and walked up the stairs to his chair at Ginny's side. Through the night Harry was slightly woken a few times when Aralniya walked in to check on Ginny. At one point she added a couple of extra covers to keep her warm. She was having what seemed to Harry like fits during the night, violent convolutions that were distressing to Harry.

Morning came and Fleur, Bill and Alralniya were in the kitchen. They were talking about whether there was anything they could do to treat Ginny, she was going to die if they continued the way they were, her body couldn't fight off the pneumonia and a breaking episode was becoming more and more probable.

"Aralniya you can make this all go away, she could be better in a matter of days if you just do what you did before"

"Its not all that simple Bill Weasly"

Aralniya said calmly

"Why is it not? You opal people are so secretive about your methods, why is that? Tell me, tell me how it works."

"Bill please"

Said Fleur in a small voice, she obviously knew exactly how this deep and secretive magic worked, and what ever it was, it was not what Bill was going to want to hear.

"Do really want to know Bill Weasly? Poor Fleur Weasly here only found out by accident, but you are asking me to tell you, all the secrets of my people, and why no one knows?"

Bill looked worried now, what was he going to be told? He looked over at Fleur but she just looked down, she couldn't bear to look at him. Bill took a breath for some bravery

"Tell me"

He said looking at Alralniya with a worried expression

"We kill out patients Bill Weasly… we kill them by sucking out their life though their skin, we wait till they are cold and stiff and grey"

Bill's expression was horrified his jaw dropped but Aralniya hadn't finished she had a manic look in her eyes now, a thirsty look

"A dead person cannot feel pain, neither can they get any sicker. You can fix a dead body with magic that that would destroy a living body, then we can put back all the life energy we took out, back in… its called Agaira, because of it, my people were captured by the dark lord, and used as his slaves… we created the Inferi"

Bill had gone pale and looked like he was about to be sick. Aralniya still looked totally unfazed at the horrific facts that she had just told Bill. Before Bill got the chance to faint or vomit or react dramatically, his concentration was broken by Harry slumping down the stairs. Harry looked up and managed a slight twitch of the corner of his mouth and he returned the plate with some half eaten toast on it. No one said a word as he entered. He sat down at the sable next to fluer. He took a deep breath and sat up he clearly had something important to say.

"I think it is time to tell Molly and Arthur"

He said nodding to himself. Bill and Fleur had decided long ago that this was his decision to make, and they would respect his right to make it.

"Ok mate, you sure?"

Said Bill almost forgetting the dramatic information he had just been told because this decision of Harry's was more immediate right now.

"yer I am sure, they need to have the chance to say good bye if they need to."

Bill was quite shocked at Harry's calmness on this subject, but realised that Harry had probably had quite some time to think about it now.

"Ok mate we will arrange for them to come."


	22. Chapter 22 A Ray Of Hope

Chapter 22

Bill did not waste any time and he had arranged for both Molly and Arthur to come and visit that afternoon. Molly was existed when Bill said that they had some news. It didn't take a genius to work out that Molly thought Bill and Fleur were going to announce that they were having a baby. Fleur had clearly over herd the talking patronus that Bill had used and received, because when Bill went over to wrap his arm round her waist she shrugged him off. Bill was running though his parents possible reactions to Harry's news. At least they were expecting a pregnancy announcement he told himself, just from the wrong child.

When it came to lunchtime Bill took some leak and potato soup up to Harry and Ginny. As he placed it down on the small dressing table in Ginny's room he looked over at Harry. Bill took a seat on a small stool that he pulled from under the table.

"You are a brave man Harry Potter"

Said Bill breaking the silence, Harry gave a small smile in acknowledgement.

"Have you thought about how you are going to tell them?"

Asked Bill. Harry sat back in the chair and looked up at Bill.

"There's no way that I can break it to them gently, not something of this magnitude, there's no way of sugar coating it, just have to get on with it."

Said Harry nodding to himself a bit. Bill stood up and put a hand on Harry's shoulder.

"You have my respect Harry potter, you really do"

Harry smiled up at him and Bill cleared his throat and left the room.

Once Harry felt that he had given Ginny all the soup she could take, and eaten his own, he decided to go downstairs and face the music. The kitchen was cold and the kettle was boiling on the stove. Harry hadn't realised before that all the time he had been here that kettle had almost never stopped boiling. He thought about that for some time, anything to distract himself from what he was about to do. There was a snap in the far distance.

"zat will be zem 'arry go into zee living room we must make sure zey are alone first."

Harry obeyed Fleur immediately, he was actually quite grateful for the moment of solitude, his heart was thumping so hard that Harry was sure he could see his chest pulsing. Harry was on the verge of loosing almost everything he treasured, he was shaking and he had a lump in his throat. He had his ear pressed against the door to the kitchen and he heard the door open.

"Darling Fleur! How are you my sweet, all well I trust, and Bill my handsome Bill"

"Hello mum"

"Well someone tell us this news! I have been so existed tell us come on!"

"Listen mum its… its not actually our news to tell…"

"What? what do you mean?"

Harry was satisfied that it was only Molly and Arthur now and he couldn't leave Bill and Fleur in that situation for any longer, so he opened the door and entered the kitchen,

"Its my news to tell"

He said forcefully. Molly's jaw dropped in sync with Arthur's. They stared at him for a moment looking him up and down as if they wondered whether he was some kind of ghost. Then Molly threw her hands in the air with a scream! And rushed towards him to hug him.

"ooohhhhhhh Harry darling your alright! We have been so worried! Oh love you are so thin oh darling Harry! Is Ron ok? And Hermione? Oh tell me they are ok please!"

"Yes yes they are fine said Harry smiling and holding Molly away from him a moment so that he could breath. Then suddenly Arthur spoke with a serious look on his face

"So what's this new then Harry?"

Harry looked down and swallowed he felt Molly's grip on him loosen suddenly. So he looked up and tried to give her a reassuring smile (as best he could)

"Please come and sit down,…. please"

As they sat down Bill and Fleur went into the living room, Bill gave Harry a reassuring smile over his shoulder. Harry sat down and began to ring his hands.

"Molly Arthur I …. I …. I don't really know where to start ummm…"

"Just start from the beginning Harry"

Said Arthur taking Molly's hand. So Harry took a deep breath to try and stop his shaking.

"Ok well… when everyone though that Ginny and I broke up, it was just for the public, we were having a secret relationship all the time, all summer. I love Ginny, I love her more then anything and I couldn't bare the thought that I might loose her if I made her wait till I had 'saved the world'. Anyway Hermione Ron and I went off and Ginny have me the talking paper, that's how we were communicating all along. Then she got the CMBD."

Harry choked a bit he was starting to rush. So he stopped a moment an took another deep breath to steady himself.

"Ginny wanted to see me, so I went to Hogwarts, and then she told me that she was pregnant."

Harry froze and looked up at Molly and Arthur there expressions were blank. Then Arthur looked at molly and she looked back, there was clearly a great communication that they had together, no words had to be said not even mouthed, it was all said though their eyes. Arthur looked back at Harry

"Harry potter… this isn't ideal, but we are glad that it is you"

Harry felt all the tension fall from his body and he almost fell off his chair with relief.

"Thank you sir, but I am afraid that there is more to it than that…"

Harry then continued to tell them all bout what had happened, the story took longer than Harry had expected, and all the time there were tears welling up in Molly's eyes. Finally Harry finished.

"And now she is upstairs fighting for her life, I am going to stay with her till she is better, I can't leave her."

Mr and Mrs Weasly sat there for some time considering everything they had been told,

"You have made all the right decisions Harry."

Said Mr Weasly nodding

"Can we see her?"

Said Mrs Weasly though some silent tears.

"Of course"

Harry replied he led them upstairs to the small room where Ginny lay. Molly sat in the chair and cried over Ginny's body and Arthur stoked Ginny's hand. Harry watched them for a while but then he decided it was only right that they should have some time with her. He went down the stairs again. Fleur and Bill had come back into the kitchen.

" I think that went as well as it could have done mate"

Said Bill in an up beat tone.

"yer"

Said Harry shakily, as he went to go into the lounge, he craved some solitude.

The lounge was dark. Some ivy had clearly grown across the window blocking some of the little light that there was. The small put you up bed and covers were still in the corner of the room, they had not been touched since Ginny left them. Harry sat on the edge of the bed and picked up some fabric off the floor. They had clearly had to cut off her clothes, it is hard to undress someone who is injured and possibly fitting. Harry picked up her cloak off the floor, with its cut sleeves and small scuffs and tears. Harry felt like it had been violated to be treated like that. He held it up to his face an it smelt of her, sweet and human. Then he felt something brush against his knee there was something in the pocket. H caught a glimpse of feather and was disappointed to see that it was clearly broken, he gave it a gentle tug and it popped out unbroken and totally undamaged. It was beautiful. Ginny must have treasured it very much if she had been carrying it in her pocket all the time.

Harry sat for some time until he could hear footsteps upstairs, so he went into the kitchen unbeknown to him still clutching Ginny's damaged cloak and quill, but the quill was hidden under the cloak. Mr and Mrs Weasly said a tearful good bye, molly giving Harry an enormous hug, and promising that they would want updates.

"Aralniya is with 'er right now 'arry, 'elp me make some supper."

Harry didn't have the strength to argue so he did as he was told. Once Arlniya had reappeared he went upstairs so have his at Ginny's bedside, and also to give Ginny as much as she could manage. Once he had finished he went to take the plates back but he stopped at the top of the stairs, he could hear Fleur and Bill arguing.

"She is not getting any better Bill, you said yourself zat it could all be better in a matter off.."

" I know what I said! but I am not letting that happen! There's no way!

"Bill be reasonable!"

"I think I am being perfectly reasonable!!"

Harry was confused what were they taking about? There was clearly some kind of ultimatum going on.

"Look if she is not better by tomorrow evening zen please."

"Ok then… tomorrow evening, if she is unchanged and still unconscious."

Harry decided he didn't want to hear anymore and he didn't challenge them about it either, he just decided to ignore it and let them tell him in their own time.

When he got back up stairs he pulled the pretty quill that he had found out of Ginny's cloak that he had laid on the end of her bed. He chatted with her for some time whist twiddling it in his fingers. She just lay there unresponsive but Harry liked to think that if she could hear him then it would be annoying if no one talked to you. Eventually he laid the quill down next to her hand and stood up to close the window. Then Ginny twitched, and Harry jumped, she did this sometimes but there were such big periods of stillness between, that he never expected them. He looked at her then looked again, she had twitched so hard she had pierced her hand on the quill. Harry dropped to his knees in panic. She clearly couldn't feel it but that almost made it worse, he considered calling for help, but then her would be accused of negligence so he lifted her hand, and carefully slipped the quill out. She must have twitched so hard but then Harry realised that she was not awake to control her strength on anything she could have used all her bodily force. To Harry's astonishment, there was no blood when he pulled the quill out and the hole seemed to heal almost instantly. He turned her hand over in his and sure enough there was not a mark to be seen, Harry looked from the quill to her hand in confusion. He dismissed it as a small skin healing charm, Ginny was probably covered in them, Aralniya had described the complications to him that there must be nothing that can go into her blood stream, so Harry decided that external charms like this were probably all over her. Again Harry fell asleep in the chair at her side.

The next morning came, clear crisp sunlight reached over the grassy moors over the cliffs. The ground had not seen real sunlight for days with all the fog they had had. The sky was clear and reflected an icy blue off the sea. There was a healthy breeze out too sea, making the air cold and clear ad fresh. Bill and fleur were in the kitchen, the atmosphere was tense. They weren't specking at all, Bill was reading the daily prophet with a contemptuous look on his face, turning the pages with unreasonable force. There was some movement upstairs and Bill alone looked up from his paper. Harry's feet appeared and he bent down so that his head showed then he disappeared again. Bill looked confused and waited to see if Harry would come back again. Then there was a call from the top of the stairs.

"Someone… would like… To join us for breakfast!"

Harry's tone seemed positively jubilant?

Then Bill could see tentative steps appear again but not one pair of feet, but 2.

Harry had his arm under Ginny's and he was supporting her, but sure enough she was conscious and not only that, she was walking. Bill and fleur looked over totally astonished, mouths gapping. Suddenly bill realised that he was sitting doing nothing and he suddenly jumped up and went to take Ginny's other side.

"Something smells good?"

Said Ginny croakily as she was sat down on a chair

"ooo, ooo… o la la, well you can 'ave as much as you like Ginny! What can I get you? Bacon eggs toast, 'ow about a full English!"

She said excitedly beaming! But Ginny shook her head and smiled

"No thank you fleur just a piece of toast to start with I think"

Harry had her wrapped in blankets because she was still very weak, she could hardly raise her own arm. The blankets were holding her up a bit but Harry still sat close supporting her a bit.

And thus started Ginny's recovery. Harry finally had some good news to put in his notes to Ron and Hermione, and Mr and Mrs Weasly visited a couple of times. Aralniya got out her pregnancy monitoring equipment and Harry was able to experience the magical moment of having his own babies pulse in the palm of his hand, just as Ginny had done a few weeks before him. Harry was enjoying the time he was having with Ginny; he was able to see her strength grow. She was still very weak to start off with and had to sleep for most of the day, but Harry didn't mind because the times that she was awake were just as he had imagined there life together should be.

Over a week passed and Harry refused to leave Ginny's side. Ginny was still having to have 3 Esben treatments a day but this was an improvement from the 5 that she was having before. Although it was very cold Ginny still had this desire to be outside, bill had set up a chair for her and she would sit out there with Harry for an hour or so, just chatting, nothing more, but sometimes the 'just chatting' is the most magical bit of a relationship. One morning Ginny went downstairs alone. She could just about manage that now, Ginny hated to get any aid now, there was a supporting spell that she could have used but she felt like she had to move for herself, to prove to herself as much as anyone else that she was not weak and she had a strong constitution. She opened the front door and there was a fine cloud cover over the sky making it shine white all over. The sea was choppy from what Ginny could see in the distance. The cloud cover meant the air was slightly warmer than usual but still cold. Ginny could sense anticipation in the air, she could almost taste it, it wasn't a very pleasant taste. She had left Harry asleep upstairs, so she decided that if Harry was to go today then she should make the most of the time that they had together. About half an hour later, Harry realised that Ginny was totally awake next to him and just stroking him this was quite nice if a bit odd. They snuggled together for a while just enjoying the feel of each other's warmth. Harry stroked Ginny's belly and put his ear to it to hear the tiny heartbeats. Eventually they got up and went downstairs. Bill and Fleur were still in bed. They always had a good and proper sleep in on Sundays. Aralniya was sitting at the kitchen table. It was only in the time that Ginny had had her living in the same house that she realised just how inhuman Aralniya was. It was a bit like she could switch off and just go on standby, she didn't sleep and barely ate, and Ginny had noticed little things about her. Ginny had become quite convinced that Aralniya could see though surfaces and also that her vision went far beyond what we can see, like another dimension, she didn't know how to explain it but she knew what she meant. Aralniya made a start on breakfast in silence because she had no need to ask Ginny what she wanted, she already knew. Harry had sat down opposite Ginny and had brought out the talking paper. Harry had been very secretive about his letter to Ron and Hermione, but they had greatly increased in length and detail. Harry said that he couldn't tell Ginny anything because it would but her in even more danger. This made Ginny a bit grumpy because she couldn't see quite how she could possibly be a more attractive target as it is!

Harry looked up at Ginny and smiled. It was nice to see some colour in her cheeks, she was now pretty well better, and although this pleased Harry endlessly it still had the implication that he would soon have to leave, and go back to his mission. In the time that Ginny had spent recovering Harry had been working intensively on his new powers. He had worked out that he could affect the fabric of time itself. He had started off by sitting at his chair next to Ginny's bed as she took a sleep one day. He had closed his eyes and concentrated very hard and when he opened them he had a strange pool like vision floating just above his lap, he prodded it and it just rippled and felt cold. So he took a drinks can from the table beside him and gently placed it in. it just floated slowly swivelling and tumbling in the space, Harry was able to pull it out again so he threw it in as hard as he could from his sitting position and then allowed the hole to close behind it. Harry wasn't sure where it would really go but he had willed it to not go too far. A few moments later he stood up and opened the window, and to his great surprise as he turned round to sit back down the rippling pool opened and the drinks can came hurtling towards him and hit him hard in the forehead with a 'clunk' sound. Harry felt really quite silly that he seemed to have managed to throw a drink's can at his own head and decided that this was something that really needed practice.

Harry had felt so wonderful in these past few days he had with Ginny. He was able to protect her and help her and care for her in all the ways that he felt he should be, and it was torturing him that he would soon have to leave her to fend for herself again. She had been making such improvements every day that Harry was sure he couldn't possibly string his visit out any longer. Ginny looked at Harry over the kitchen table scribbling away seriously at the talking paper. She was a bit disappointed that he had got it out as soon as they had woken up, she knew that what Ron and Hermione said, in the end would be the thing to make him leave. She had hopped that she could at least have a morning with him or just one last day. She was beginning to wind herself up so much that she couldn't contain herself and she wanted to burst out crying,

"I think I will just gat some fresh air, I will be back in a minute"

She said a bit shakily, Harry hardly looked up

"Ok"

What he was being told must have been really important, Harry looked up at Ginny closed the door behind her, he knew full well what was coming but he gritted his teeth and when back to writing.

_Have you discovered what that big swirly Smokey pool thing is yet?_

_Well H thinks it is some kind of like spying whatsit, she doesn't really know there seems to be a load of pages missing from some of the books, she found some pictures of how to use it and we had a go but it was like trying to see though thick fog the images we saw were useless, it needs all 3 of us._

_Hmmm ok, well G is almost completely better now but.._

_But you don't want to leave her?_

_Not hugely, I know I have stayed too long already and I am putting her in danger every moment I am here but I just_

_I know mate_

_Hang on H is shouting something from downstairs. if Im not back in a second then begin to worry ha ha ha!_

_Ok_

Harry waited for some time to get a further reply from Ron but none came.

_R?_

_Hello?_

_Are you there?_

_What's wrong what's going on? _

But no answer came, then, there was the beginning of a scribbled word '_HE' _but it trailed off as if the person writing it had been pulled away, Harry couldn't believe what he had just seen and sat there in a horror struck trance for a moment. He looked up at Aralniya who was already looking at him. She said only one word,

"Go"

And Harry spin round on his chair and made a sprint for the stairs, he grabbed the invisibility cloak and then came rushing back down the stairs. He rolled up the talking paper and began to slow down, realising what he was about to do. He took some deep breaths and walked calmly over to the under stairs cupboard and pulled out his pearlecent broom. He had now slowed right down and everything seemed to be in slow motion, maybe it was, he stood and stared at the floor for a moment or so. Then he looked au at Aralniya again.

"Good bye Aralniya, look after her for me"

Aralniya bowed her head to him and replied

"Good bye Harry potter good luck"

Harry looked at her strange eyes for a moment then turned to go to the door. He opened it slowly, it was so cold outside, it would be Christmas in a matter of a week and a bit. He looked out to the small wooden porch; Ginny was leaning on one of the posts looking out at the sea. Harry closed the door behind him and walked towards her, he reached his had round her running his hand over her belly and kissing the back of her neck. Ginny took a small breath to speck

"Its cold out today isn't it, don't let your hands get cold they are so exposed on a broom"

Harry looked round to her face, there were tears rolling down her cheeks. Harry couldn't bare it.

"I…"

He began

"shhh I know, I know"

Said Ginny looking into his eyes and toughing his face.

"Go and save the world"

Harry didn't have the words to speak so he just nodded he went to turn away but stopped, and turned back to give Ginny an indulging passionate kiss that Harry wanted to go on for hours, their lips separated and Harry rubbed his face on hers, but he couldn't draw it out any longer, and he pulled away quite suddenly and jumped from the porch at a run onto his broom and shot off faster than Ginny had ever seen any person move, and that was it he was gone.


	23. Chapter 23 Ribbons of Blood

Chapter 23

That good bye was still burning in Harry's chest he felt like his own ribs were crushing him and pushed his broom on as if he could run away from his own pain somehow. He made sure he was well clear of the ward around shell cottage before he appirated he didn't want to have to stop, trying to appitate inside a ward was like being thrown into a brick wall. He appirated as he flew and was hit by cold wet air as he arrived with a very loud crack on the cliff top above the temple, he landed roughly scraping his feet into the ground, he did it deliberately he really wanted to punch someone but it was no ones fault that he had to leave Ginny.

Appitaring back into the temple would be very tricky so he decided to aim for the largest space which was the cave outside that led up to the temple, Harry stood as close to the cliff edge as he dared it was windy and to fall of the cliff into the jagged rocks would be rather a let down he thought. His cloak was flapping in the wind and he was a sinister silluete in the cliff edge. He closed his eyes took a deep breath and went for it. The crack sound left him about 20m up in the air and unfortunately above the large area of water that was the secret underwater entrance to the cave. He fell though the air and he had just enough time before hitting the water to think:

_Nice one idiot!_

There was a very strong current under the surface and it pulled Harry down and down scrapping him on the sharp barnacle covered rocks, he was almost panicking when he realised that he still had the broom in one hand. The grabbed it with both hands and pushed it on, most brooms wouldn't work underwater but somehow Harry just knew this one would. He shot out of the water and came crashing down onto the cave floor. He coughed a bit and took in deep breaths his face was bruised and cut up a bit and his arms looked like that had been chewed by a were wolf. He could hear some noise in the temple so he jumped to his feet and started to run to the steps, there were no voices just the sound of smashing so Harry pulled out his wand and crept with his back to the large pillars. He reached the top step and the crashing suddenly stopped, there was a nasty silence and Harry froze to alert to breathe. He was expecting something to jump out at him from around the corner but it didn't. He eventually took the courage to move slightly, he stepped out into the entrance hall looking all around him, there was no one but there was smashed glass on the floor and the torn pages from books. Suddenly Harry looked to the top of the staircase and Ron came running out panting looking very distressed!

"HARRY LOOK OUT!!!"

Harry took a step back and then from no where leaping out though black swirling smoke right next to him was a monster, a creature, it stood upright but it happened so quick that Harry didn't get a good look. He ducked and the creature that was going for his head and chest jumped over him then turned back, to jump up at his face, Harry could have used a repelling charm but his instincts took over his free hand shot out and the creature froze suspended in time in front of him, like something frozen in ice. Harry certainly didn't expect to see what he saw in front of him.

"Hermione?"

He whispered, her face was all contorted and misshapen she had long talons and her body structure had changed. Her eyes had gone black all over and her teeth had grown to sharpened saw blades. Harry couldn't believe what he was seeing. What the hell??

He kept time frozen and went to the small room at the side of the entrance hall; he hung up his coat and put the broom back on its rack. He then found some rope, when he held it up to the light he could see threads of silver running though it, this rope was clearly as good as any. He walked back and tied it round Herminie's wrists and feet. Her feet were together in a perfect pouncing position so he was able to tie them straight together, but her writs were far apart so he tied them together anyway and stood back to her side, he was ready that as soon as he restarted time he would shrink the rope between her wrists and the rope that he had tied between her wrists down to her feet. It was hard work for Harry to keep the world still so it was a relief to let it move on like, putting down something heavy. Hermione lurched forward to where Harry had been and the rope shrinking charm worked instantly, Harry had been so ready, his reactions were super quick, she fell to the floor, roaring and screaming like some kind of banshee, she was flailing and struggling, it was really distressing to watch, Ron came running down the stairs to Harry and put a thumped a hand on his back, he leant on Harry's shoulder panting.

"You have a good holiday break then?"

Said Ron smiling, Harry smiled back

"Nice one, it seems like I have been running away from her for ages!"

Said Ron pointing at the writhing monster

"Whets wrong with her?"

Harry asked

"sigh I was hoping you could tell me?"

They both looked back down at her, she was now looking at them and shouting obscenities in some language neither of them even recognised.

" Come on Ron lets take her to the duelling room"

Ron nodded.

The duelling room couldn't have possibly been better suited to what they needed. It had padded walls and nothing breakable. Harry asked the temple for some shackles but as soon as they tried to touch Hermione, she turned to bite them. They had levitated her in there but there was no way they could levitate the shackles on to her, not while she was struggling, so Ron ran up to the living quarters to get some kind of sleeping potion. He came back with a tiny purple bottle, he pulled out the cork and threw the contents on her which made her stop screaming for a moment and look at him confused.

"What you do that for!?"

Said Harry also looking at Ron in a confused way

"That's what it says to do, look!"

Said Ron pointing at the label, and sure enough as soon as they looked up from the label Hermione was totally passed out.

They shackled Hermione to a chair and went to the library to look around.

"So she was here in the library when it started?"

Asked Harry, Ron nodded picking up books that were strewn around the floor, flicking though them. Harry walked over to a small desk that Hermione worked at a lot. A book was sitting on the desk, it looked like it had crocodile skin covering it, and as he picked it up it was unusually light for such a big thick book, he turned it over and there was a large hole burned in the back and some blood on the back cover, Harry opened it up, but it was in a script that he couldn't read. Ron came up behind him, and Harry passed him the book.

"Honestly as soon as you need Hermione she goes and gets possessed by an evil demon thing!"

Said Ron closing the book, Harry smiled, he then looked down at the spot he had picked up the book from, there were some bloody fingerprints on the desk and burnt marks, as if something super hot had bounced off the desk, Harry went round to the back of the desk, in the direction of the marks. There was a pile of books on the floor that had obviously fallen off in the commotion; one of them was smoking a bit. Harry put his sleeve over his hand and slowly began to move some of the books, but it was not the books that were smoking, it was what looked like a small pebble at the bottom of the pile. It had burn holes in the books that were on top of it to, it was clearly very very hot! Harry didn't want to touch it. Ron was looking over Harry's shoulder.

"I will go get a spoon or… something, don't touch it"

Harry nodded, as he got up, he went back to the crocodile skin book. The hole was only in the back and so the pebble must have been somewhere in the middle to start with.

Ron came back with a spoon and a dish to put it in. They took the pebble and the crocodile book to the living quarters. They sat at the dining table with the stone in the dish between them, Ron was going though every page in the book looking for clues.

"Can you read any of it?"

Asked Harry

"No none, I wouldn't even know where to start, there is no title no author and even the page number symbols seem to repeat themselves. But in the actual writing there are no two letters the same."

Harry sighed

"Are there any pictures?"

Has asked wondering if that could be some kind of clue

"No… well some but they aren't really of anything that is recognisable?"

Said Ron turning the book round to see if they made sense if they were up side down. But handed the book to Harry. Harry looked at the pictures and understood what Ron meant; they just seemed like random shapes, they didn't even seem to be symmetrical. Harry turned to the page that had the first burnt hole in it. It wasn't hot before it seemed because it just dropped straight though the pages, it must have got hot when Hermione picked it up. Harry put it down on the table and sat back in his chair.

"Well I don't think we can do much more I think we are going to have to ask the thing some questions so we will have to wait for her to wake up."

Said Harry rubbing his forehead and eyebrows.

"Good idea, have you had some breakfast?"

Asked Ron

"No actually I was just about to then you wrote to me and well… I left it all behind didn't I"

"yer sorry bout that mate I was trying to write 'help' but Hermione went all possessed monster and dragged me away a bit, you know being able to appirate to anywhere and away from anywhere has proved really useful!"

Harry smiled and they got themselves some breakfast. Harry had some scrambled egg on toast, but it somehow was just not as good at what he had eaten at shell cottage, there was nothing wrong with it, he just missed the human element of it. Ron and Harry sat and chatted quite normally considering the situation they were in, they chatted about Ginny and Fleur and Bill. But Harry didn't tell Ron about what Aralniya had said to him about the cloak, it was Harry's cloak and to some extent he just didn't think Ron needed to know.

They were just about finishing off. They had pretty well decided what they were going to try and ask the thing that was in Hermione. Harry was carrying his plate over to the sink when there were roars and screams from downstairs.

"I think it might be awake!"

"I think you might be right Ron!"

Said Harry with a smile, it seemed like there was now a very specific goal instead of a sword they couldn't find and a locket they couldn't open, here was something they could do something about! Terrible as it was that Hermione had been possessed by an evil demon monster thingy, it was till satisfying that there was something they could do about it. Harry and Ron had planned what they were going to say and how they were going to say it after all they didn't know whether this thing could communicate with anyone outside the temple with out them knowing. They walked downstairs Ron carrying the bowl with the pebble in it and Harry carrying the book. They stood out side for a second Harry's hand on the door handle; he gave a confident nod to Ron, which Ron returned. There was no good saying anything the creature's howls were deafening. They entered the room standing upright, trying to look confident and imposing. They sat down their objects on a small table at the side of the room. The creature had stopped screaming a bit and was now making a low rumbling growl. Harry walked purposefully around the creature and its head followed him turning a full 360 degrees. Harry saw Ron clap a hand to his mouth, they had agreed the show no weakness so he didn't acknowledge it in case the creature noticed to. Harry put his hands in his pockets and leant over to the creatures face.

"Who or what are you?"

Said Harry very slowly so that the creature had no excuse but to understand, it didn't answer, but made a menacingly huge smile showing all its tiny sharpened teeth.

"Where have you come from? Why are you here?"

Harry was getting a bit cross, as the creature clearly knew exactly what he was saying. So he paced over to the table and picked up the book, opening it to the right page he pushed it close to the creatures face.

"What is this, what does it mean?… TELL ME!"

Still no answer the creature continued to smile right into Harry's face, which was really starting to creep him out. He threw the book back on the table and the creature flinched a bit, Harry looked curiously at this. Ron came forward for his turn. They were doing the whole 'good cop, bad cop' thing, but it had taken Harry quite some time to explain it to Ron as his first question was "what's a cop?" but he was pretty sure Ron understood by the end.

"If you don't answer our questions we will have to hurt you, or restrain you more, you don't want to be punished do you?"

Ron had crouched down so that he was looking up into the creatures face. But he looked back at Harry, because their plan wasn't working. Harry froze time suddenly he couldn't control himself, he ran up and hit the creature hard, it was like punching a brick wall, because moving creatures are totally solid when frozen in time. Then he released time again as he walked over to opposite wall. The creature fell sideways groaning, Harry had his it really hard.

"Harry what you do that for? Hermione could be in there!"

Harry was fuming he had yet again got a problem he was having trouble solving, to add to all the others they had. Then the creature did something totally unexpected, it was still hunched over in the chair its hair over its face, and I began to cry with Hermione's voice. Harry turned slowly to look at it, but Ron beat him to it, Ron leapt forward and put both hands on the face of the creature lifting it to look at the face. The face had not changed but it was defiantly Hermione's voice.

"Don't hit me please, let me go my wrists hurt please"

It said it in Hermione's voice and so Ron immediately spun round to the back of the chair to undo the shackles,

"Ron stop!"

Ron froze and the creature looked up at Harry with a pitiful look, you couldn't say it looked cute but it was as cute as demon monsters get. He looked at its face and its eyes; if Hermione was in there he would see it.

"No… it's a trick ignore everything it says"

And on that word it began to roar and scream again because it had been found out, Ron jumped back looking horror struck. Harry left the creature to struggle and went to Ron. Ron was looking devastated, such nasty mind games it was clearly really getting to him, so Harry put his hand on Ron's shoulder.

"I really thought it was her, she is in there Harry I know she is!"

Although he would have never admitted it there were tears in his eyes.

"Take a break mate, come back when you are ready"

Ron nodded and left the room.

As Ron closed the door Harry wheeled round to look at the creature.

"So its just you and me now my little beastie!"

Harry had a gleam in his eyes. Which made the creature stop screaming and give him a suspicious frown. Harry went to the table and leant on the book, which made the creature shift uncomfortably.

"You and this book are quite connected aren't you"

He said as he picked it up and opened it roughly causing the creature to flinch a bit. He then said one word as he roughly turned each page making the creature twitch a bit each time.

"You, will, tell, me, what, I, want, or, I, will,…"

He hesitated with one page, and pulled it just a bit tearing it only a tiny tiny bit about 3 mm. But it caused the creature to scream in pain.

"I will hurt you…chair please Akuwilla"

A chair leaped up violently from the floor, which Harry caught effortlessly, he set it down opposite the creature and sat down casually crossing his legs.

"What is your name?"

There was no answer

"I SAID WHAT IS YOUR NAME!!"

The creature gave no more then a sneer, so Harry tore half the page causing the creature to yelp and writhe in real agony.

"Tell me your name"

Said Harry in a very controlled voice

"Samiell"

The creature hissed

"And why are you here?"

"Hallagra Fritic Angaf!"

Harry didn't understand a word of it, but it was clearly swearing at him. Harry had had enough he tore 5 pages from the book and stamped on them making the creature convulse, an slump sideways in the chair

"Ok ok"

It hissed, so Harry sat forward leaning into the creatures face

"Start talking"

"I am Samielle, I have existed forever, I am the counter to the Lucien, I have waited 3000 years, for warm blood and a beating heart, now I have it, it feels rancid and soft amazingly fragile, stagnant human body"

Harry was a bit creeped out by what he had heard but maintained his blank expression

"You cannot have this body, what do you want?"

He asked

"I do not want, I need, I need to vanquish the Lucian"

"What's the Lucian?"

"It's a bird of bright light I am that which must extinguish it!"

Harry suddenly realised that the creature was talking about Leviothen and his blank expression turned to a sinister frown, then Ron came in suddenly. He grabbed the dish that had the pebble in it and gestured for Harry to follow him. Harry gave one last glance at the creature and followed Ron back out of the room.

"Water!"

Said Ron enthusiastically

"What?"

Said Harry looking very confused

"Water! I think it responds to water! Look!"

Ron grabbed Harry's wrist and dragged him across the entrance hall to the underside of the stairs. Harry's jaw dropped. They had been so preoccupied with the large carvings, and the rooms full of interesting objects that they had never even considered to come under the stairs. Harry could see the remains of what looked like painted plaster, there were some chunks missing but the painting was still clear enough to understand. Harry could see a dark round shape, surrounded with what Harry thought was a wave of water. In the next image the wave was touching the dark shape and it was split in two like a broken egg with a green liquid shown poring out of the centre. Harry looked at Ron who was grinning and then Harry noticed that Ron's eyes were red.

"This is great Ron"

Said Harry slapping a hand on Ron's shoulder, Ron nodded still grinning and gave a small sniff,

"Dude umm what were you doing under the stairs?"

Asked Harry tentatively

"I wasn't... I just… I was just…"

But Ron looked down and away from Harry; Harry grabbed Ron's other shoulder and turned Ron to face him.

"Its ok… I know… it must be really hard for you seeing her like this"

Ron nodded slightly limply and they stood like that for a short while.

Harry suddenly broke this sombre atmosphere by looking down at the bowl in Ron's hand.

"Well lets end it shall we?"

Said Harry in a motivated tone, and Ron nodded positively. They went back to the room with a jug of fresh water. They looked very smug and pleased with themselves but the creature just looked at them curiously.

"We have got some information that might interest you."

Said Harry in a smug voice, glancing back at Ron, the creature then caught sight of the jug of water and its expression went blank and slightly worried.

"We have found some… information that you might be a little bit prone to water damage?"

Said Harry, there was a malicious tone in his voice that Ron didn't like at all, it reminded him an awful lot of the way Voldermort tortured his victims. So Ron interrupted.

"Get out of Hermione's body and back into this stone or we will pour water into this bowl."

Ron said in a controlled manner being very clear and calm. The creature looked at Ron, Harry had bent down to bring his head level and close to the creatures face. It slowly turned and Harry could hear its neck cracking and crunching as it did so, it stopped and looked directly into Harry's eyes, then it exploded into screams and roars again, shaking the stone walls like battle drums. Ron made a made a fumble for the jug of water and poured the entire thing into the bowl, the stone bubbled violently and made the bowl crack, there was steam erupting out of the bowl in a massive 6ft plume. But more dramatic than what was happening in the bowl, was what was happening to the creature, it too was steaming all over. Convulsing violently and pulling so hard on the shackles, that small drops of blood hit the sprung wooden floor beneath them. The sheer heat of the stone burn away all that water very quickly. The creature was screaming piercingly in pain and agony. Ron just stood horror struck. And as the steam cleared, they could see that the bowl (that had supposedly been heat proof) had cracked the stone had made it melt and sag at the edges. The room reeked of burn flesh and as the steam cleared further Ron could see the shape of Hermione's body lying backwards over the back of the chair.

"Hermione!"

Said Ron rushing over and lifting her head from behind her neck she was limp and wet, but he looked at her face confused, Harry rushed over to see that her face hadn't changed and suddenly it sprang back to life and threw its self forward in the chair growling violently.

"mmmm refreshing!!! Not so easy to get rid of me boys"

It gave an evil cackle but Harry was looking at Ron. Ron was leaning against the wall with one hand over his face.

"c'mon mate lets take a break"

They didn't just take a break infact they didn't go back again all day. The entrance hall was filled with the roars and deep rumbling of the creature's protests. But the short bit of information that Harry had been given was playing on him mind. Leviothen might well be far older then he had imagined. Harry knew that Ron was sitting under the stairs, so Harry left him to it, he wouldn't have known what to say anyway. Harry knew that Ron loved Hermione and anyone who couldn't see it was blind. Harry could sympathise with him completely.

That night Harry went to his room, it was totally unchanged from when he had left it in such a hurry so many days ago. He didn't hear Ron come up but he didn't question it, and went to bed. In the middle of the night he heard a voice, he was half awake and he sat up, he recognised it as the voice that had led him to Leviothen last time. He got of bed quickly and ran down the staircase. The screams had stopped and Ron was not under the staircase from what Harry could tell. Just as before the ground fell away in front of him, and again he had to pluck up the courage to jump into the black liquid gold. Harry felt the cold wet ground beneath him, but he had so many questions he didn't want to stay lying on the floor for long. Harry jumped up and called out into the darkness.

"Leviothen? Hallo? Leviothen are you there?"

Then Harry could feel the ground vibrating under his feet as the great bird approached, it lit up right in front of his face, looking at him inquisitively.

"You have been gone a long time Harry where have you been?"

"That doesn't matter I need your help"

The bird took a step back and looked at Harry in an understanding way, the great bird didn't even question Harry's decision.

"Oh god I have so many questions where do I start…"

Said Harry panting.

"Ok ok, right, Hermione has been possessed by some kind of demon, or something called Samiell, that wants to destroy you. I don't want to know about why or what it is I just need to know how to get my friend back."

Leviothen looked at Harry considering what he had said, he had clearly not expected Harry to be so upfront about the information that he had discovered.

"Samiell the Demon of the mind, the way to vanquish it is with sea water, but this comes at a price. Many have tried before you and failed because of the sacrifice that is required, Samiell plays on the rawest and strongest of human emotions… love"

Harry considered this, what was this terrible price that he should pay?

"What price Leviothen? All I have to do is splash sea water on it?"

"For the sake of humanity Harry I will tell you only this, I am the light in dark places, I am the moon and stars, I am the life, Samiell is the penetrating stench of death and seeks to rip a hole in everything that we know. Just a splash a sea water Harry potter that's all it takes."

And yet again before Harry could utter another word he was plunged into a relaxing darkness. His mind was spinning violently but he couldn't move or wake from his sleep so he resigned himself, he would wait till morning.

Morning came and Harry woke quite suddenly, he had a very specific mission laid out in his mind as to what he was going to do, he had planned it so precisely. He got up and went straight to get his dressing gown, he then went to the kitchen and living room to get a jug, nothing was changed so Harry assumed that Ron had not even come upstairs last night, let alone slept in his bed, as he walked down the stairs toward the broom room he could hear Ron's snores coming from under the stairs, they were not loud and comical as they usually were but somehow a bit sad and sorry. But at least Harry now knew for definite where Ron was. Harry fetched a broom and hopped on is as soon as he was out of the room. He flew across the entrance hall and out into the cavern, he flew out and onwards over the edge of the stone platform in the bottom of the cave and over the edge down to the plunge pool that he had fallen in yesterday. He scooped up a jug full and carefully flew back to the entrance hall. He propped up the broom and went to under the stairs and woke Ron.

"Hay mate, look I think I have the answer… sea water!"

" What? Why do you think that will work?"

"No time to explain now c'mon"

Ron pulled himself up from his slumped position against the wall and followed Harry to the duelling room where they had their prisoner. As they opened the door the Samiell didn't move, just stayed slumped forward staring straight ahead. And even when Ron walked up next to it, it remained frozen.

"I don't know what this is going to do Ron ok?"

"Ok"

Said Ron weakly

"Lets just hope we find out what the green goo was in the picture ay?"

Ron looked up at Harry and smiled in reply. Harry pulled the table closer to the centre of the room and picked up the bowl very carefully. The small stone rattled around in the uneven bottom. Harry gave one last glance at Ron and Ron nodded so Harry tipped the pebble into the jug, there was no steam this time the pebble just dropped to the bottom, Samiell was the first to show the effects, he looked at Harry quite suddenly, and was able to utter one word

"No?"

But by then it was too late and the jug suddenly smashed causing shards of glass to go flying, several large shards sticking into Harry's thighs. But that wasn't all Samiell was now convulsing again and crippling backwards in the chair. Suddenly the back of the chair began to break as if Samiell himself was gaining massive weight. The chair couldn't hold it and crumpled underneath him letting Hermione's body fall to the floor fitting and moaning. But the stone? What was happening to the stone? It seemed to be cracking all over, tiny little cracks

"Harry what's happening?"

Yelled Ron over the noise from Samiell

"I don't know."

Yelled Harry in reply. He was expecting the pebble to explode as well showering them with tiny shards of sharp stone, it was now shaking violently making the table rattle, and Harry held up his arm over his face, what ever it was it was coming to a dramatic climax. But then just gently it split open and green liquid spilled from the sides and dribbled off the edges of the table. Harry was so fascinated with this he had not even looked over to Hermione's body.

"Harry!!"

Screamed Ron, Harry looked up to see that not only had the egg split open but so had Hermione. It was one of the most shocking things he had ever seen, and it made him feel sick. Ron was kneeling at her head crying so hard Harry wondered if he was breathing at all.

"WHAT HAVE WE DONE HARRY, SHE DEAD WHAT HAVE WE DONE!"

Harry dropped to his knees next to her body, he didn't know what to do, and he could see all her guts and her ribs. He looked up to her face, it was Hermione all right, and they had vanquished the demon bet they had killed Hermione in the process. Harry rocked backwards and forwards but he didn't know what to do he was so lost. Harry stared at the great split in Hermione's body but he realised that he could see her lungs moving, just a tiny bit but they were they were still moving.

"Ron quick appirate all 3 of u out to the entrance hall on the steps, hurry"

Ron was not in a position to argue and just obeyed without questioning. Harry ran down to the bottom step and began to shout though his shaking voice.

"Leviothen I need to see Leviothen right now take us all there right now!"

Now Harry two was crying he didn't know what to do so he began to stamp on the floor of the entrance hall screaming and shouting

"Akuwilla I need to see Leviothen we need Leviothens help right now!"

But then Ron called from behind him

" What are you doing Harry?"

Ron sounded small and sorry, and from the way Ron had said it anyone would think that Harry was stabbing Hermione's dead body.

"You keep her alive Ron you keep her alive don't you let her go, Leviothen will fix it I now it!"

But as Harry looked up the stairs to wards then Harry saw a tread like red ribbons flowing down the stairs of Hermione's blood. Harry stamped and screamed till the thought his shin would break. But nothing was happening, the floor wasn't opening up, he couldn't get to Leviothen so he stumbled back up the stairs to sit by Hermione's side. Ron's face was buried in Hermione's shoulder as she lay half in his lap. Harry looked at the massive slash down Hermione's front looking at her lungs begging them to move. But they didn't move. Nothing in her moved. Harry sat stunned he couldn't believe it. He couldn't believe what he had done. They stayed there the three of them together, for some hours nether of them saying a word. Till slowly and stiffly Harry got to his feet and went back down to the bottom of the stairs, he still didn't talk he just ran the words over in his mind.

"_We need to take the dead body to Leviothen, grant me this as a master of this temple"_

Then almost to Harry's shock the ground around him crumbled away. He went back up to Ron and helped him to pick up Hermione. Harry lead the way, just stepping into the dark liquid, he assumed the Ron would follow.

Harry felt the almost familiar hard cold wet floor under him. And he could hear Ron's breathing beside him, Harry stood up and spoke to the darkness.

"Leviothen we bring you the body of our friend, our companion, we bring you her body, as you say for the sake of humanity."

Leviothen lit up in front of Harry but he was looking straight past him and down at Hermione's body. Ron did not even look up at the great bird but stayed hunched over Hermione's body.

"I did say didn't I? For the sake of humanity, you would pay a great price."

Said Leviothen slowly and sadly.

"Yes but you also said that you are the light, please be a light for us."

Said Harry though suppressed sobs. He didn't know what he really wanted but a little bit of light right now had to be better then what they had. There was a long pause after Harry had spoken and Leviothen seemed to recoil a bit, but glowed brighter and brighter. After some time he lent forward again.

"I can do better then that Harry potter, as I said I am the light and the life. I think you have paid your price."

Again very annoyingly Harry felt the relaxing blackness fall over him like a veil, and he thought to himself as it happened '_I wish he would just wait till I was finished!'. _But it was too late. What Leviothen wants Leviothen does and he seemed to like to have some mystery, especially at the most painful of times.


	24. Chapter 24 Why Fight It?

Chapter 24 

Ron was lying on his back on the floor of the entrance hall. The hall was dark, much like it was when they first discovered it. Ron opened his eyes but he could only see vague shapes. He sat up quickly looking round into the murk. He must have been lying there for some hours because he was very stiff, but regardless, he struggled to his knees. Ron could see some vague shape beside him so he crawled forward grabbing at it pulling it to face him. It was Harry, he could tell because he saw a small glint off his glasses as he rolled him over. Ron shook Harry hard.

"Harry! Harry? Harry wake up … please Harry!"

But Harry made no movement, Ron used his power to look though the skin on Harry's chest and saw that his heart and lungs were still working, he was just unconscious. Ron was satisfied that Harry was ok and to he began to get up looking around the floor for the body of Hermione, but he couldn't see it, so he called into the darkness,

"Akuwilla light!… light please now I need to see!"

But the temple did not respond, so Ron now feeling lost began to appirate wildly around the temple shouting.

"What have you done with her!! Where is she I want her back!, light Akuwilla!! Light now please."

But Ron was struggling to shout now though his sobs. He appirated back down to the entrance hall where Harry was lying. And spun round looking though the walls into the surrounding rooms, but there was nothing, no sign of life. He dropped to his knees and looked though the floor, but there was nothing there, no sign of the cavern where Leviothen was, just more and more rock, layer upon layer of it.

Harry stirred and Ron scrambled over to him. Harry opened his eyes and squinted to see Ron looking down at him.

"What?… where's?"

But Ron interrupted

"She's gone I can't find her Harry's she's gone!"

Harry sat up rubbing his neck

"What do you mean she is gone?"

"I cant find her she isn't here I have looked every where"

Harry looked round at the dark hall but he couldn't see much,

"Akuwilla light please"

Yelled Harry and his voice echoed round the cave

"It wont work I have been yelling and yelling it doesn't work"

Harry paused and thought about it suddenly he realised why it didn't work

"I know why… we are the three coven aren't we, and now… we are only two, there is just the two of us now. It doesn't recognise us… the temple is in mourning." They sat there in the middle of the floor thinking in silence.

There was no sunlight reaching through the clouds to the rocks on the cliffs outside. The sea was not rough but it was cold and licked the base of the cliffs in a menacing and beckoning way. 24 hours had passed since Ron and Harry had woken up on the floor of the temple. Ron was sitting alone on the edge of the cliff, he knew it was dangerous, they had seen bits of rock fall from the top many times before, but right now it didn't seem to matter. The cold air scraped at his cheeks making them red raw. He had been sitting there for some hours. It was early evening, and he could see the sun extinguishing into the sea in the horizon. Ron's thoughts were scrambled. Harry and he hadn't talked much since it had happened. Ron didn't know what to say. His reason told him that Hermione died of a terrible accident, a mistake, but then the anger in him said that it was Harry who had made the mistake, and Ron wanted to kill him for it. That is why he had been sitting on the cliff for so long. He hadn't seen Harry and assumed that he was still in the dark cave below him. Ron slowly got to his feet; he had come to his decision finally. He felt so stiff; the cold had got into his joints and made them almost unmovable. The salt was sitting on his face in nasty irritating grit. He appirated into the temple and began to walk in the dark with his head hung, up to the living quarters.

Ron walked into Harry's room without knocking, Harry had filled it with candles to light it, for some reason wand light just got lost in the immense space of the place. Ron cleared his throat but he didn't look at Harry for the reaction.

"ummm I'm gonna… I'm gonna go"

There was along pause and Harry said so weakly, clearly not looking up at him

"Ok"

Harry didn't know where Ron was planning to go, but he didn't want to stop him. Ron slumped to his room and gathered what little he actually owned. He looked back at the door wondering if he should stay, or maybe say something else to Harry, but the inspiration or motive never came, so he appirated off the spot leaving the room empty and as lifeless as it was lightless.

Cold air hit Ron's skin once more, the grass under his feet was long and dead, it was now quite dark he could only just see against the inky blue sky above him. He began to walk slowly looking at the ground, stumbling a bit over the lumpy turf. He could hear the sea crashing over rocks to one side and then as he walked, there was another sound on his other side, it was not a sound that he was surprised to hear but he still stopped breathing for a moment just to hear it. Ron didn't look up and continued to walk in the same direction. The house that the sounds had come from got closer; Ron could see lights in all the windows and siluettes moving across them. Ron reached the front door and his feet hit the solid flagstone with a neat doormat on it. Ron raised his fist up to knock on the door but paused. The voices from inside were so clear now he could hear ever word every laugh, Bill, Fleur and Ginny, laughing together. Maybe he should never have come here. There was a wreath on the door, Ron had almost forgotten that it was almost Christmas, in the next couple of days it must be, he had no way of telling. He didn't wait, there was nowhere else for him to go, he knocked on the door. The laughing stopped and he could hear footsteps to the door. Light poured onto him making him wince.

"Ron?"

Said Bill's voice in a surprised tone

"Well what are you doing here?"

He said half laughing in a confused way.

"I… ummmm…."

But Ron couldn't find the words, he didn't know what to tell them, he was going to ruin everything.

"Come in mate"

Said Bill in an understanding tone. The door closed behind him leaving nothing but Ron's foot prints in the frosty ground outside the door.

Harry remained in the dark caves by the sea not at all sure what he should be doing. His mission seemed to be going nowhere. He had begun this journey with everything, all the hopes and dreams of the people around him backing him up, but then it all seemed to go wrong. Now he finds himself having killed one of his best friends, loosing the other to hatred and grief, the woman he loved was dieing because of something he was doing to her, and now he finds himself in a temple dedicated to him that now doesn't even recognise him.

Harry was lying in the dark looking at the ceiling (what he could see of it in the darkness) all the candles had burnt down, Harry's wand was glowing beside him and there was a quill lying broken on the floor next to his bed. His face was raw from rubbing away his tears. And his throat was almost closed up from the tension of holding back those tears.

Harry's mind meandered and wondered though endless doors and corridors each one had another locked door behind it. He thought of Ginny and his mind ran though a thousand scenarios of what would have happened when Ron told them. Every image he put thought his minds eye left a stain, until he had so many pictures on top of each other he couldn't understand his own mind at all. His wand was now rattling on the table beside him and the light it emitted was a hot red. This hatred he had this deep sadness, he had no one to blame, it was no ones fault only his, and that made it all the worse, he was now fighting back the tears and frustration with such force he was struggling for breath. Why had this happened why had this bastard won, all Voldermort wanted was to take away everything he loved and he had done it. Suddenly Harry couldn't suppress his emotions anymore and his wand leapt into the air, a great fire snake erupted out of the end sending the wand in the other direction from the force, Harry sat bold upright with shock looking at this monster that was writhing and filling the room. It looked at him and Harry saw voldermort in its eyes he was taken aback for a moment.

"I see you,"

Said a nasty voice in Harry's head but Harry brought himself back to earth, the situation had taken over now.

"No Voldermort I see you"

At this point Harry used all his occlumency strength to push back, Voldermort had opened a channel to him though Harry's pain and frustration, but now Harry could turn it back on him. Harry strained and pressure pushed down on him like a massive weight but then the pressure was gone. Harry opened his minds eye to see snow and ice with the ground suddenly dropping away a little way ahead, and Voldermort standing before him, Voldermort took a step back, realising that Harry could see him. Before Harry could do any more, Voldermort broke off the connection and Harry opened his real eyes in time to see this great snake blow out like a fire in the wind leaving nothing but dark.

Harry shifted in the pitch darkness. All that could be heard was his heavy breathing and his heart thumping in his rib cadge.

"Accio wand!"

He gaped with his voice weakened by the ordeal. He lit the room to see everything covered in a light dusting of glittering ash, it was like the entire room were made of a night sky as it glinted in the wand light, dust hung lightly in the air and the room had a tranquillity about it for a second. Harry was composed now his breathing steady. It was clearly true what they say, 'every lock can be undone' Harry had allowed his emotions to get the better of him, and that had allowed Voldermort into his mind. What a stupid and childish mistake to make, he was quite ashamed of himself.

Then he froze, there was a noise. Then nothing for a moment, then there it was again there was some movement downstairs. Harry leapt up, he didn't really know weather to barricade the door or to run out and face it. What did he have to loose, nothing? Only his life which lets face it is not worth much right now. He took a deep breath and then opened the door and ran to the top of the stairs holding his wand out in front of him lighting his path. He could see a figure in the vague light his wand emitted. The figure stood totally still at the bottom of the stairs. Harry proceeded still at a run to the top of the stairs, but in the poor light he took one step too many, his stomach gave an almightily jolt, has his body fell forwards, he rolled and tumbled, his limbs flailing helplessly, the stone floor came rushing up to meet him by smashing into his head. Harry lay dazed on the floor and suddenly realised that the figure could still be there, he relit his wand and began to squirm on the floor unable to do much more than just look around him. But his wand light just stretched out to the carved walls of the cave.

He went to get up but his body wouldn't, no matter how hard he strained, the pain in his ribs and body were stopping him moving, so he lay limp on the floor, as soon as he relaxed his body, the suppressed tears flowed from him and he couldn't control his gasped and choking.

"WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS!! LET ME GO!….. Please! …Let me go! …. Please"

Harry didn't know who he was pleading to and he didn't know what he would do if all these responsibilities went away, he just wanted it all to end, right here right now. He lay on the floor feeling hopeless and helpless. He seemed to be doing that a lot lately. He cried and cried until he had no more tears in him. He could feel that his leg was broken from the fall; he must have landed awkwardly. He thought he might have blood coming from somewhere on his head and he may have a broken rib or two. Harry thought back to when he first decided that he was going to go on this mission and how he had no knowledge of healing at all, and how it seemed like a massively careless gap in his education.

Harry managed to push his upper body up a bit on his elbows to see that his foot was at a bad angle but at least his bone was not sticking though his jeans, at last some luck, he thought sarcastically to himself. He struggled to sit up and dragged himself over to sit in the bottom step. He slowly removed his shoe, but the pain in his side was restricting his movement, Harry wasn't really in his body, he felt like he was a spectator sitting watching himself do all this, and whilst this stranger was messing about in his body it gave Harry time to think a bit. What was he fighting? If everything he loved was now gone or didn't count why was he fighting? For himself? Surely he would be better off on the other side of the fight. Harry's mind was ticking over quite slowly now, as the stranger in his body was tearing off his sleeves and putting them like a support round his now corrected ankle. Maybe if he were to change the fight around? He was now a powerful wizard and Voldermorts equal, surely he would have the influence to save the ones he loved, and to save what he thought deserved being saved. Maybe he was looking at this all-wrong? All the people who have ever told him otherwise have left him and abandoned him and he has lost them because of their diffience. Maybe it was time to have a better overall view?

Harry was now slowly slipping back into a measured state of mind. He had bandaged his ankle and began to limp up the stairs with the aid of a supporting spell. He could have appirated but he was almost enjoying the pain, it kept him focused, kept him steady. He managed to reach his room he didn't fumble in the darkness he knew exactly what he had to do. He put on his invisibility cloak and put the Slytharin locket round his neck, he broke a leg off one of the chairs and tied it to his own using the sleeves he had torn off. It seemed like a pretty lame excuse 'what happened to you? you look like you have been in a war?' ''Oh I fell down the stairs coz it was dark and I was rushing' didn't have the same ring to it as ' I was struck down and had to fight my way out though thousand death eaters!' but Harry wasn't really too bothered he had hoped that he wouldn't be asked that, especially not where he was going.

The loud crack sound during appiration was proportional to the amount of air you remove or arrived with. Harry staggered out to the top of the grand staircase

He took one last look around its cavernous walls. This place had been a home, and had been filled with the voices of himself and his two best friends. There was so much mystery here, so much that he would never find out, he regretted that, it was like leaving a job unfinished. Harry took a deep breath and appirated with as much air as was humanly possible, he didn't know what kind of air there would be in the place where he was going. He caused such a vacuum with his exit, that there was the most destructive event, the secret underwater entrance outside the temple exploded and came rushing in to the void. Climbing the stairs with enormous speed. The walls reverberated with the enormous boom of the appiration. The cavern was big but not enough to dink the sea dry, eventually the water stopped climbing there was a small amount of air left at the top of the cave and floating gently on the surface was Hermione's handbag bobbing and gently swirling in the murky water.


	25. Chapter 25 What The Fuck!

Chapter 25 

Harry's feet touched the floor once more and the huge wham sound of the air that had followed him made his ears ring a bit. his feet had sunk into the ground a little way. The air in the temple had been cold but the air here was bitterly freezing. Fine snow what swirling round him and he couldn't see far in front of him. He didn't really know where he was, but he was good and lost now, he knew what the place looked like and that was all that he needed to get there. Harry began to walk forwards though the bitter cold limping badly. His broken leg made large scrapes into the snow behind him, he didn't bother to heal them, because if he was found then that was what he wanted. He walked for what seemed like miles and miles, he couldn't see ahead of him, so he had no way of knowing if he was getting closer or not. Then he looked down at himself and stopped walking, he was sure that he could see a vague outline of himself, there was obviously going to be some snow settling on the cloak and an absence of snow where he was but it was more than that, it was as if he could almost see the cloak just slightly like a shadow of a shadow. He continued to look down at his own body and slowly began to move forward again, and as he did he was becoming more and more visible. The wind whistled in Harry's ears and he was now looking at himself stunned at what he was seeing. He could see the fabric now, he was still a bit translucent, but all the cloak did now was keep him warm. But then there was a noise. Harry held out his wand and began to turn on the spot looking around him for the source. The sound became clearer; it was a voice, shrill and strange as it carried on the wind.

"Harry"

It was saying as it trailed off

"Harry… Harry stop"

Harry continued to wheel around looking for where the sound could be coming from, the wind distorted it so much that he couldn't pin down a direction. But then there was a figure or what he thought was a figure scrambling towards him though his own foot prints, which seemed strange to him, if anyone were going to approach him surely it should be from ahead of him. The figure stopped about 10 feet way from him. He could see its outline slim and grey against the white that surrounded them.

"Come here Harry, came back this way."

Harry froze. It was a woman's voice

"Ginny?" he whispered to himself

He turned to face her fully

"Please Harry come to me, I can't come to you"

Harry began to take small steeps forward the figure becoming more and more clear as he approached, but then he got close enough to recognise them and it made him root to the spot.

"No"

He said in disbelief

"Please Harry come here, come to me"

"No no no this is a trick this is a mind game? You are not who you look like, YOU CAN'T BE!"

Screamed Harry, tears of anger not managing to get to far down his cheeks before they froze on his face.

"Harry please it is me come here I cant come any further"

Said the person. Harry took one more tentative step he was now less then 2 meters away from her; he pulled out his wand suddenly, pointing it at her throat.

"Prove it! prove it to me! DO IT NOW! OR I WILL KILL YOU NOW, I HAVE NOTHING TO LOOSE!!!"

There was a pause while this woman thought about what to say

"There was a time, there was a time Harry Potter when I stood with you alone in the darkest of places looking out at your self just a few hours earlier dying when dementors attacked you. I have flown with you on the back of a hippogriff and I have travelled here to the edge of the earth to help you."

Harry gave a short yelp, not of physical pain, more of the emotional pain. It was her it was Hermione, his Hermione. Harry used his power to slow down the snow around them, so that he could see her more clearly though the blurring snowflakes. He stepped closer. Hermione didn't look scared Harry looked at her face and she had a small smile and kind eyes, she was wet through though and was shivering in the cold.

"Please don't do this Harry don't take it to him, don't give him the one thing he wants"

Harry nodded slowly, mainly because he didn't know what else to do. Hermione turned away and Harry went to follow her, he reached out to her but he must have missed so he reached out again but he defiantly didn't miss this time, his hand went straight though her. He stopped, Hermione had seen this out of the corner of her eye and turned to face him again, Harry had scuttled backwards and was pointing his wand at her like a cornered animal.

"What the fuck is this!"

He yelled looking round for a person who might be controlling this mirage

"No Harry please, I can explain everything"

Hermione was pleading with him

"Explain everything can you? What hell do you think you can say to explain this!"

"Harry pleases! Just… just listen to me its ok. You have to come here come this way back the way you came. Towards me Harry please."

But Harry still looked apprehensive.

"Look at your cloak, I can see you! Magic isn't working is it?"

Harry looked down he had almost forgotten that the cloak wasn't working

"Please Harry come towards me, this way come on."

Harry took tentative steps staggering though the thick snow. Hermione was backing away beckoning him forward. Harry's cloak was starting to recover and he was disappearing with every step. He was getting closer and closer to Hermione and then he tripped and fell forward but Hermione reached out her and she caught him by the arm. Harry looked up at her face. But he couldn't do any more then just cry kneeling in the snow. There was such a toxic soup of emotions in him that he didn't know what to do with himself.

Hermione reached out her other hand to touch his face and her cold wet sleeve brushed his shoulder.

"Come on let's get out of here in freezing."

At this Hermione wrapped her arms round Harry's shoulders and appirated them neatly out of the cold and the snow. When Hermione stood up Harry could look at where they were. It was small and warm. The place smelt of fresh earth and there was a small fire burning in the corner. Hermione took off her cloak and hung it on a tree root that was coming through the low roof. She turned back to Harry who was still kneeling on the floor, Hermione smiled.

"My god don't you look a mess! I have never seen you look so much like moody."

Moody had been missing since Harry's turbulent voyage to the burrow, so this comment was bitter sweet. Harry didn't say anything; he didn't know what to ask first. But luckily Hermione spoke first.

"I'm sorry you couldn't touch me Harry I am living of gition magic, just while I am healing, I will be fine in couple of days but it means I am living off, the belief and the desire for me, from the people around me,… anyway Lets get you on the bed and we will fix you up"

She helped Harry stagger to the small put-you-up bed by the fire. Hermione propped him up with some pillows and set to work on his leg. Harry stared at her not sure what to do, so he said what came to his mind first.

"Why are you so wet?"

Hermione laughed

"Of all the things you could have asked, and you ask why are you wet?"

Harry smiled a bit

"Well I thought it was a legitimate question, it s a place to start anyway."

Hermione smiled and began to talk.

"Well you had flooded the temple hadn't you, so when I came up then there was just water everywhere! I had to swim to the top and breath the tiny bit of air that was left near the roof."

Harry looked confused.

"Look I think we are getting ahead of ourselves aren't we."

Said Hermione grinning at him

"Yer maybe we are a bit. Ok start from the beginning."

"Ok well I was in the library and looking at one of the book shelves but then there was one book that had something strange, like a block round it, I couldn't read it from a distance so I took it off the shelf and over to my desk and then something touched my hand, I must have passed out at that point."

Harry looked at her; he had assumed that all this was what had happened

" Then it was like I was watching my self, well not myself but a something in my body from high up above, I chased Ron round for ages ripping books up and making a mess. His appiration skills are really good in any kind of battle! He really stood his ground and pulled some good moves!"

Hermione was cutting Harry's jeans to get at his leg

"Had sexy moves did he?"

Said Harry drunk on the idea of everything not being so bad. Hermione laughed quite hysterically

"Yer they were a bit. But anyway the rest you know about how you caught me and all that stuff."

Then there was a pause. Suddenly Harry realised what was coming next in the story, what he had done to contribute to this little tale. Hermione looked up to see Harry expression.

"I forgive you Harry, really I do, It wasn't your fault"

"Was a pretty stupid mistake though, we were nothing with out you to help us."

Said Harry fiddling with his cloak button.

" It was a simple mistake Harry… you just read the wrong thing that's all. There was information in the book but you would have never found it. What happened was that samile and me were split in to two places. My sole was put in the stone and then samile was in the book. But sea water was the right thing you did get it right, just put the wrong object in it."

Hermione was smiling at Harry. She moved her chair up to his shoulder so that she could look at the cut on his head.

"To be quite honest I was quite happy when I was floating around watching samile in my body, but then when he was gone I went back in. I don't know how I lived. But Leviathan, Harry I met Leviathan. He's beautiful isn't he. He saved me."

Harry looked at Hermione in astonishment.

"How?"

He stammered

"I don't know, I couldn't tell you it was just like, hmmm how to describe it, it was like drinking light, pure light something happened and it was like drinking light."

Harry looked at her anxiously

"Have you got a scar?"

He said tentatively

"OH yer!"

She said grinning she lifted her shirt to show her belly and the most enormous white scar about 2.5 inches wide and a couple of cm thick. Harry just looked at it stunned. But he broke away his stare and smiled.

"Well it beats mine doesn't it"

He said with a laugh holding away his fringe to show his.

"oi stop hogging the lime light you. But seriously it is a bit ugly isn't it. I think it will get smaller though, it was bigger when it was just fresh, I have healed it a lot. Anyway, I got healed and woke up here!"

Harry finally realised that here was a very unfamiliar place

"So… where is here?"

He said looking around him at the small room, it seemed to be no more then a room cut into the earth. There were a few rocks sticking out of the walls and roots from the ceiling, there was no door and just the bed and a chair and a fireplace.

"You know what Harry I couldn't tell you, I haven't got a clue, I don't know where we are? Or what this place is. The dig marks are fresh so I would assume it is not an old place, I don't even know what country we are in. but I will say one thing. This room has some kind of connection with the temple."

Harry was super confused now.

"Connection what do you mean connection? How do you know?"

Well when I put that grill over the fire I can see the temple. It is as if I am standing there but it just looks like it, I am still in this room really."

The grill was made of a kind of blue/purple glass, it wasn't smooth it undulated and rippled, as the fire was the only light source in the room it probably turned the room bright blue when it was coveing it.

" The first time I tried it I was still unable to move much and I knocked it, that's when I heard Ron appirate from his room, I am always at the bottom of the stairs in the main hall."

Harry's jaw dropped.

"That was you? That was you at the bottom of the stairs, you scared me half to death woman!"

Hermione smiled apologetically

"Yes sorry about that I was just checking up on you, hang on so you could see me to? I thought you might have known something, but I didn't think I could be that clear? You weren't that clear to me. Anyway I watched you as subtly as I could, and that is how I knew where to find you"

Harry frowned at Hermione.

"You made me fall down the stairs bang may head and break my leg"

Hermione lifted her shirt to show her belly again and have Harry a sarcastic look.

"Ok that's fair play I suppose"

Hermione smiled,

"Besides I have fixed that now!"

And sure enough Harry's leg as totally better and his head seemed to have blood on it but no cut.

"Ok so what do we do now then?"

Said Harry after a bit of a pause.

"Well I can tell you a little bit of information I found out bout a certain mortal enemy of yours?"

Harry perked up and went to sit up properly but fell back down holding his side.

"Oh yes your rib I haven't done that yet have I."

Said Hermione chirpily.

" Anyway where was I? Oh yes, right well, I have found out that Just as the order of the phoenix has a base, so does you know who, he has to live somewhere doesn't he I suppose. He has his base in the Dead Zone. A huge battle went on there when our parents were young; I think your dad and Sirius might have been involved, anyway big battle, big loss of life on both sides, bla bla bla. Anyway the Dead Zone is a place where no magic works. The Arours are starting to become able to detect magical activity pretty well of any kind. So he stays there to be undetected."

Harry was being flooded with information, Dead Zone, big battle, his dad, Sirius, no magic, what a jumble!

"But where is this Dead Zone?"

Asked Harry

"That's where you were going, in the snow. That's why you cloak was not working It's a lost place, you have to be lost to find it."

Harry was really really confused now

"What?… lost to find something? That doesn't make any sense at all!"

Said Harry frustrated

"I know but that's the way it is. And we still don't know where it is because you only went there coz you saw a bit of it, and I only wet there coz I saw that you saw a bit of it, so really we are none the wiser to its actual location."

Harry looked dazed, and they sat there looking at each other both a bit confused and a bit dizzy.

"My brain hurts"

Said Harry.

"Fix my brain like you did my leg and rib and head Hermione"

He lent over towards her playfully. But she grabbed his cheeks.

"Can't fix your brain Harry that's beyond repair!"

They both laughed.

Once that had finished talking and chatting they decided that sleep was the best option after all they had a war to win, and not many wars are won well when the troops have no sleep.


	26. Chapter 26 A new found strenght

Chapter 26 

The sky was gloomy and a deep grey silky cloud hung over the horizon. The sun was not visible anywhere in the sky and the pink tinge to the morning light gave it a bloody feeling. Shell cottage was quiet. So many things seemed to have happened and yet so few things? Ron had arrived at Shell cottage but had been unable to tell them anything. He just sat in silence often staring out of the window in the kitchen. There was something comforting in his interest in the window, it meant the he knew something was out there, and if Harry and Hermione were dead then there would be nothing to watch for. Ron had been at Shell cottage for 2 nights and Christmas seemed to have been put on hold. There was only 1 day to go till Christmas eve when he arrived and it seemed like time hadn't moved on at all since then.

Ginny came down the stairs very slowly she was now very round and her tiny frame was clearing staring to feel it. She was pleased to see Ron sitting where she left him last night, sitting at the table clutching a cold cup of tea. He didn't even seem to notice Ginny as she entered the room. Ginny didn't really want to disturb him; there was something very peaceful about him. Ginny walked behind him so as not to break his gaze with the window. She lifted the kettle off the aga and filled it up with some fresh water. The room was flooded with light even though the sun was nowhere to be seen. Ginny had done all the worrying that her constitution could take, and she was now quite resigned to the fact that Ron was not going to tell them anything. They had asked him as many questions as they could think of, but it was if he had had a nervous breakdown and he couldn't give them a straight answer to anything not even if Harry and Hermione were still alive. Frustrating as it was, they were now pretty resigned to there lack of knowledge.

Ginny came and leant over Ron and slowly and gently slipped the mug of cold tea out from his grasp. He slightly came to his senses and looked at her briefly but not for long. Ginny tipped it down the sink and then came to stand next to him leaning against the counter behind her. She looked out of the window in the same way he was and wondered if she was seeing the same thing as him. The kettle whistled and so Ginny poured a new cup of tea and gently and carefully slotted into the gap left in Ron's hands by the previous cup. The mug was clearly very hot, as Ron actually acknowledged its existence and looked down at it moving his hands a little.

"I am so sorry Gin"

Said Ron weakly, he had been awake for 3 days and that had clearly been taking its toll. Ginny shuffled over and sat on the chair next to him. Ron didn't look at her, he couldn't bare to see her eyes begging for answers that he didn't know how to give. Ginny hands kept up his arm and clasped his hand. Then she leant her head on his shoulder. He would always be her brother no matter what had happened and she could always find space in her heart for him no matter what.

Long hours past and Ginny's presence had clearly soothed Ron a lot. He was slumped over the kitchen table asleep, he wasn't snoring and his breathing was slow and shallow. Ginny's head had moved to lay on his back rubbing his hand with her thumb. Bill and Fleur passed in and out, trying not to disturb the egg shells that they all felt like they were walking on. The atmosphere was a strange peaceful tension who knows what could tip any of them over the edge.

"Its Christmas eve tomorrow"

Said Bill almost laughing at the stupidity of what he had just said. They had not told anyone that Ron was there, not even Arthur and Molly. They were going to have a bit of a shock if they came to charismas lunch to find Ron still passed out on the kitchen table.

The day passed quickly and when there are no meals had, and no words said then they seem to disappear, and you are not sure how many days you have had, how many days have passed without you noticing. It seemed now that all they could do was get up and then go back to bed again.

Christmas eve fell over the cliffs and for the first time in days there were shafts of sunlight reaching the cliffs and the light sea breeze rustled the dormant grass. No one had got up yet and Ron was still sitting in the chair at the kitchen table. He had given up clutching the mug of cold tea, and was looking out of the window in a very different way to the previous days, he had a slight frown and a certain concentration was clear in his expression. He pushed the chair back and put his hands on his knees. He stopped there for a second. He had moved so little in the last few days that his joints were so stiff, that just to have them into a different position not even moving was painful. Ron slowly took deeper and deeper breaths building his energy and determination, he slowly wobbled to his feet, leaning on the table to steady himself, he slowly straightened up. Ron shuffled stiffly to the living room and went into the burro to get a quill and paper he scribbled a quick note. He didn't really know what to say, he couldn't really be very specific about his intentions because he didn't know what they really were yet.

' I am ok, I will come back'

Is all he managed to write. Ron went to the cloak hooks by the stairs, he had only brought one thing with him from the temple, and that had been a sad elderly waterproof cloak. He pulled it over his shoulders and went to the door. As he opened it, fresh air hit him, and took his breath away for a moment; the shock cleared his vision and focused him a little more. He looked to the nearest kitchen counter and grabbed 2 of the stale mince pies that were on a plate untouched, he stuffed them in his pocket and took one last look round the room. Ron was quite deliberately leaving something behind, he didn't know what it was, but he knows that when he came back then it would have gone. Ron turned and opened the door but as he went to close it behind him caught one unpleasant glance of his own reflection in the glass of the door, and his mind flashed back to his distraught face that he had seen in the reflection in Hermione's blood.

Ron set off, he didn't know where he was going but he was going to walk there, he knew that, and he was going to blow away his cobwebs as the phrase goes. He walked for a long way along the coastline. He didn't know what time it was or how long he had been out, but he was coming close to the border around the house where he could appirate. He had walked almost this same route in reverse a few days before but his feelings had been quite different then. Ron had come to accept that the world was a much bigger place than his mind. It was bigger than him, bigger than his family, bigger than all the people in his life, but not bigger than Harry, and if Harry needed him to save the world with him, then that is what Ron had to do. Dieing is just another part of life and if anything, the loss of Hermione has made him a far more useful tool to Harry as a man with nothing to loose. Ron became more and more positive with every step and was feeling more and more empowered by his newfound strength.

But then quite suddenly something happened and Ron's mind went blank, he was frozen to the spot and his eyes were fixed quite firmly on the thing that had caused it. There was a figure, hooded and cloaked that Ron could make out, it was coming towards him, and it was moving strangely. It took Ron a moment to workout

That it was infact two figures close together. Ron whipped out his wand and hoping that they had not seem him, dived for a large clump of marrom grass that concealed him surprisingly well, the ground sloped down behind him towards the cliff so he had no escape if they were hostile and spotted him, but Ron knew that his new found bravery would be a good weapon against what ever was approaching.

Angry thoughts buzzed though Ron's head and as he could hear the people approaching he was visualising ways to maim them and make them suffer. He was doing it for his family, he was doing it for Ginny, and for Bill and Fleur and he was fighting for Harry, but mostly of all he was doing it for Hermione, his Hermione.

The footsteps grew closer and the silluets were tall towering above him, they were so close but they didn't see him at all, for them to be that stupid they must be death eaters. They passed him, and Ron took a deep steady breath. Ron launched himself from behind his marrom grass and shouted with a huge slash of his wand,

"slageneth!"

A curse designed to cut open the victim's stomach so that they bleed to death internally. But the taller of the two people spun round and knocked the curse into the grass next to them. But Ron saw instantly who it was and stood looking very odd frozen in the position he had finished his curse in, crouching slightly with his wand arm out stretched at his side. The tall figure in front of him stood up and held his hands up to show his surrender.

"Ron? … Ron its alright mate"

Ron recognised the men as Harry. Harry brushed off his hood to show his face, and put his wand into the pocket inside his cloak. He held his hand out to Ron but Ron took a step back in disbelief. Harry knew that this was going to be a bit of a shock for Ron so he wanted to get it over and done with. He grabbed the hand of the figure next to him and pulled them forward. Ron was now even more wild eyed and gave Harry a dangerous look. Harry pulled the hood off the person next to him and the dangerous element of Ron drained from his face. And he stood up straight dropping his arms and his wand. His face was total shocked disbelief. Hermione, Ron's Hermione took a few steps towards him and looked up at his eyes.

"Its me Ron, it's really me"

Hermione reached out a hand to Ron's, and Ron's expression didn't change, the sea air was damp and had made Ron's face wet to the touch, Hermione raised Ron's hand up to her face so that he could feel her.

"See I'm real I'm really here, I lived Ron"

Ron's face flinched and he broke his frightened stare it was not a smile more like a painful gasping and gaping for breath he pulled his hand away and turned away from them putting his hands behind his head. Looking back at her and then turning away as it caused him too much distress to look at her he was getting further away from them and he bent over wretching from the shock of what he had been presented with.

Harry looked over to Hermione, and she knew he meant for her to stay put. He went over to Ron putting his hand on his back. After a few moments Ron stopped wrething and stood up. Without saying any further words the three of them began to make their way back to shell cottage.


	27. Chapter 27 The Weight Of The World

Chapter 27

Shafts of soft white light were creeping though the cloak of clouds that hung over the coastline there was crispness to the grass, and there was a white tint to everything. The waves grabbed happily at the base of the long cliffs, making a distant booming that was both soothing and menacing.

Ginny stirred in her bed. This was the third night she had had with hardly any sleep not that she slept much before. Her mind spinning for the worry for her brother who was slumped over the kitchen table, and for Harry who could be anywhere in any state. Every time she closed her eyes her mind ran away with her and she would wake with tears running down her face and bruised hands where she had clenched her fists so tight. The lack of sleep the constant worry the lack of food and the invasive Esben treatment that she was still having to endure was really showing on her face now. Her skin was very grey and her eye sockets showed up as dark rings on her face.

Ginny's bed was an unwelcoming place and the more she moved to find comfort the more uncomfortable she felt. She eventually got so frustrated she was close to tears so she sat up and lent against the wall. The wall was cool, it was like the relief of the cold side of the pillow. She leant there for a while telling herself that she was enjoying the cool sensation, when actually she was gathering the little strength she had to move. She managed to put her legs over the edge of the bed and looked out of the window of her tiny room at shell cottage. She could see the sea and where the land ended and plunged over the cliffs. She sat staring for a while, she began to realise why Ron's staring at a similar view out of the kitchen window was so hypnotic. She broke her gaze and managed to stand. It was so early, but she didn't what to know exactly how early.

Ginny struggled into her dressing gown and slowly made her way out onto the landing, the house was totally silent and lifeless, the floor seemed to be swaying under her feet, and she felt her arm was wet, she looked down to see that her side was bleeding where she was having her Esben treatment. She was not shocked by this, it did bleed sometimes and it didn't hurt than much any more, she told herself it was like having a nosebleed, and people don't die from nose bleeds. She staggered to the bathroom and grabbed a cloth from the side of the sink. She leant over the sink and her blood slowly dripped onto the white porcelain catching bits of water and spreading like ink. Ginny knew full well how she would solve this if she could use magic on herself, there was a simple blood retention spell that would make all the blood she had lost simply jump back into her body as it if had never left. It was one of the most useful ones that her mum had taught her. Ginny thought back to her mum. She hadn't seen her in such a long time. She had Fleur and Bill, and they were great but it isn't the same as the love of your mother or the love of your lover, they can make all your fears disappear so easily.

Ginny had mopped herself up as best she could, there was surprisingly little blood on her dressing gown and nitey. She slowly made her way out of the bathroom to see that Bill and Fleur's door was still shut at the end of the hall, but she froze because there were voices downstairs. There were quiet and not distressed Ginny made her way towards the stairs so that she could hear better but the talking stopped. She heard a kitchen chair being pulled out and some clanking that may have been the kettle and a big sigh that she recognised as Ron's. Had Ron just been talking to himself? Ginny slowly crept down the stairs she could see in the gap under the landing what she recognised as Ron's legs sitting at the table where she had left him last night, but as she crept further there was another set of legs standing behind a chair opposite Ron's. Ginny couldn't draw this out for too long her creeping wasn't all that subtle and so she decided to rush the last few stairs. And to her shock she was met by the image of Harry leaning over a chair opposite Ron, Hermione at the aga and Ron in his usual place looking flush like he had been outside. Ginny's hand came up to her mouth and tears welled up in her eyes with sheer relief. Harry turned to look at her, and an exhausted smile came over his face, he said nothing but stood up straight going to move towards her. Ginny's head desperately wanted to throw her arms round his neck and hold him tight, but her heart had been preparing for the opposite, to find out that he was dead. She staggered backwards against the wall and then she felt too dizzy to stand suddenly, and slumped to the floor. Still with her hand to her mouth and shaking all over. Harry rushed over to her grabbing her shoulders and pulling her towards him to cradle her body. Ginny didn't know what to do.

"I thought … I thought you were…"

but the words were not there to say how she felt or what she had thought. So Harry did exactly what she needed him to do and held her close and whispered in her ear.

"it's ok.. it's all ok now… don't worry everyone is safe"

Ginny had tears now running down her face in rivers. Harry helped her to her feet and Hermione came to hug her aswell. Ginny's hands planted fully onto Hermione's back as she hugged her and they didn't fall though the same way Ron's had a few moments earlier. This made Ron's face screw up. Hermione looked over at Harry then glanced at Ron then back to Ginny,

"sit Gin please, is there anything I can get you?"

"no no"

Said Ginny breathlessly though an enormous grin.

There was a banging upstairs and Bill came running down the stairs looking scared,

"I heard a bang Ginny are you?…."

But as Bill got to the bottom of the stairs then he was met by the most amazing sight of the 4 of them all gathered in the kitchen. Bill just like Ginny froze for a moment but then he grinned and laughed running and hugging Harry tight, Harry patting Bill on the back, and then Bill moved onto Hermione. Meanwhile Fleur had followed Bill down the stairs and had come into the kitchen and was kissing Harry on either cheek.

It was a bizarre scene, here were six people 3 greeting and looking over joyed and 3 looking like they had the destiny of the world on their shoulders and were looking so worried about what they would now tell their hosts. Bill looked over at Harry and said though an enormous smile.

"So where have you been? What's been happening… what are you doing here?"

Harry looked over at Ron who was still looking down at the table, but then Ron glanced up at Harry and gave him a meaningful long blink, which was a signal like a nod to Harry. Harry turned back to Bill and with his hand on Ginny shoulder he said

"We have come here for Christmas if that's ok?"

Bill looked confused for a second and added

"but what has been?….."

but Harry interrupted him before he could finish.

"its all over and done with the happenings of the last week, its best that is it all laid to rest."

Bill looked at Harry then to Ron who was still looking down at his hands, Bill nodded and crossed the room to the aga to help Hermione with the tea and Fleur went to the sink to clear up for her new guests.

The ground was as warm as it gets in the cold winter sunshine. It was still not past lunch time and there had been a lot of chatting going on. Ginny and Fleur had been telling Harry and Hermione all about the babies and what they had been doing for them, and just general chat. But Ron had still not come out of the kitchen or even moved from his chair at the table. He sat there all alone as everyone else was in the living room next door.

Hermione was looking tired, and she eventually excused herself from the living room conversation, and entered the kitchen. Ron didn't even look up. Hermione didn't speak and just crossed the room to sit opposite him. The light that had been bathing his hands was blocked by Hermione's silluete. She sat for a moment looking at him. She didn't know what to say or what to really do. She reached out her hand to touch his, but her fingers went though his as they had done before and Ron suddenly pulled them away as if what she had done was horribly offensive. She rushed round the table to sit in the chair beside him and leant close to look at his face.

"Ron look at me… look at me please"

But Ron didn't

" I was saved Ron, Leviathan saved me. I am alive because until I am fully healed I am living off guiton magic which takes its power from you and your belief in me…"

There was a long and uncomfortable pause where Ron was almost ready to glance at Hermione but not quite.

"Ron please…"

Pleaded Hermione. Ron slowly turned his head to look at her, there was no emotion in his face just a little uncertainty in his eyes, Hermione looked desperate over his expression for some clue, some tiny hint as to what he felt. But he didn't let up, this tense stare seemed to have them locked for a long time, till Ron took a breath to speak, he hesitated then managed to say weakly

"You are dead… you were dead"

Hermione didn't know how to answer this question; she had indeed died, and come back. It was by far not that simple, but as far as Ron could understand that was the case. So she said the only thing she could think to say.

"I was yes. But I am here now… here with you."

Ron was now shaking from the emotional strain and looked down at his hands as he hunched over sitting sideways in the chair. Hermione dropped to her knees in front of him, so that she could again see his face. And she slowly reached out to him again, her fingertips brushed the hairs on his arm then he could feel her fingertips on his skin. Ron's jaw dropped and he gawped at her hand on his arm as if he couldn't believe she was real he reached for that hand and felt it between his fingers. He didn't look at her face and just looked at her hand clasping it in his just feeling her body heat. Hermione couldn't see his face very well, then he suddenly looked up at her tears in his eyes, but he was no longer shaking, he pulled her arm to pull her towards him throwing it over his shoulder so that he could grab her body. Hermione hugged him so tight, it was the biggest relief she had ever felt. Ron was feeling like he had dropped the weight of the world that he had carried for many miles. The feeling of relief was incredible, he could breath so easily and he felt all weak as the tension and horror was leaving him. Before they knew it, they found them self's both with tears streaming down their faces in a passionate embrace kissing each other deeply. Hermione was back, and she and Ron were together that was all that mattered right now, just the two of them, it seemed like the whole universe had disappeared and it was just them, just the two of them, together.

"Hermione… I love you Hermione granger"

Ron managed though his sobs still holding her close to him, Hermione beamed though her glistening tears.

"I love you Ron Weasly"


	28. Chapter 28 THE EVIL VEG KNIFE!

Chapter 28 Chapter 28

The sun was high in the sky and all the grass was wet with the melted frost. The candles shone in the windows of Shell Cottage, with its garden path that eerily ended suddenly with the end of the garden, because wizards don't need to walk when they can appirate. The cottage looked warm and welcoming, but a long way off in the long grass a creature stirred stalking slowly along the sore line, its eye fixed firmly on the window of the cottage in the distance, just watching, just waiting.

Ginny was lying on her bed in her tiny bedroom. Her jumper was only round her neck and one arm so that Fleur could give Ginny the daily treatment that she had to endure. Ginny tried to not think about what Fleur was doing to her, if she thought about it too much then it freaked her out. The thought of someone sticking their wand into your lung is horrible, it's as bad as if it were someone's finger. Ginny lay as flat as she could, she had become very stiff. Her walks were all that was keeping her fully mobile, and she hadn't walked since her accident over a week ago, so she was feeling the effects. She gazed out of the window at the clouds glowing with the soft winter light. Fleur was kneeling on the floor examining Ginny's wound that went all the way into her right lung.

"Ginny I am not 'appy about 'zis, I 'sink it is infected"

Ginny looked at her. Fleur's face was full of worry, Ginny had noticed it aching and the blood that was coming from it was getting blacker and blacker each time.

"What can we do?"

Ginny said. But Fleur sat back on her heals and just looked at it.

"We 'ave tried all 'zee normal muggle methods, but zee wound is big… and deep, and zee infection is deep to. I don't know what to do now."

Ginny looked at the ceiling, she wanted to cry with frustration, even a deep infection is easy to fix with healing magic. If she uses that kind of magic the Esben treatment will stop working, and she will die in a matter of minutes, if she leaves the infection she will die in a matter of weeks, give or take.

"I don't think we have much of a choice do we?"

Said Ginny giving Fleur a halfhearted smile. Fleur smiled back weakly

"Lets get the Esben treatment over and done with shall we, the others will be wondering why we are taking so long."

Fleur nodded and knelt up to be level with Ginny's body.

"Are you ready?"

She asked,

"Aren't I always"

Said Ginny through a sigh. She closed her eyes and grabbed the sides of the bed. Fleur inserted the wand tip into the wound, Ginny's hands clenched hard so her knuckles went white and she was breathing fast though her nose to try and calm herself and control the pain. Then Fleur began the whispers. It was a curious effect, the start was so painful and the sensation was so nauseating but as soon as Fleur began the spell Ginny relaxed it was like being in a vacuum, the blackness was somehow all around her closing in tight and comfortable, but also it was nowhere and could not be seen or felt. It was a short relief from what she had to open her eyes to.

After a few minuets the treatment was done and Fleur was dabbing the wound with a 'disinfectant' that she had bought from a strange kind of potions shop called a 'chemist', Fleur had also come home with various other strange objects from that strange place like a muggle 'shampoo' and muggle 'vitamin C' (what ever that is?). When Fleur was done tending to the wound, Ginny began to put her arm gingerly back into her sleeve, and as she was doing that there was a knock at the door and Harry's voice called though. Ginny jumped and almost shouted

"Don't come in!"

She looked at the door with a terrified expression. Fleur looked at Ginny in a confused way, surely a bit of shoulder is nothing Harry hasn't seen before?

"I'm… I'm not dressed I will be down in a minute"

There was a short pause where Harry was clearly thinking the same as Fleur.

"ummm ok we were just wondering if you were ok you have been a while that's all?"

And Ginny almost barked back

"I'm fine I will be down in a minute."

There was another pause in which Fleur looked over at Ginny. Harry didn't have anything else to add and they heard his footsteps disappear down the stairs. Ginny gave a sigh of relief. Fleur was still looking at her totally confused. Ginny struggled into her jumper and straitened herself up. Fleur passed her a glass of water. Ginny managed a couple of sips, but the treatment left her dizzy and nauseous. Fleur left Ginny to gather herself and went down stairs. Ginny looked out of her window again. It was something that she really liked about the sea, it was that the view was different every time she looked, even if it was only minutes apart from another, the view had still changed. There was a call from downstairs. And so Ginny straitened up and went down to join her family.

The afternoon disappeared quickly. There was a lot of chatting to be done and a lot of information to depart to Harry Ron and Hermione. They had been so cut off from the world the last few weeks and that had no idea how complicated the politics had become. That night Harry went to bed with Ginny who insisted on dressing in her night clothes alone in the room before Harry came in. Ron went to bed with Hermione, although it wasn't actually said out loud everyone had basically accepted that they were together because Ron would not let go of Hermione at all since they had come into the lounge at lunchtime, after there mysterious chat that no one elce knew the details of. still Hermione must have said the right thing because Ron suddenly had an appetite again.

It passed trough Ginny's mind that night as she was getting ready that Bill had chosen Shell Cottage because it had the 3 bedrooms, and he wanted the children to fill them. Ginny just hoped that Fleur didn't feel like she was being pressured.

Once Harry's warm body had slipped into bed next to Ginny all her bad feelings just disappeared. It was as if he was surrounding them with a bubble that was keeping them safe from everything, even the bad feelings. Ginny was exhausted and slept better then she had done in a long long time, even better than when Harry was last with her, this was a real restful sleep, something that the both of them really needed.

The next morning came with brilliant sunlight the sky was clear and the frost was thick on the ground, the landscape was the whitest Shell Cottage had ever seen and the atmosphere in the house was for the first time in what seemed like months, relaxed, contented and happy. Fleur was already up and awake, and in the kitchen busying away over her Christmas lunch, she was preparing everything accept the goose which was being brought by molly and Arthur later on.

Ginny was lying on her side as close to Harry as she could get without squashing her tummy. She had been lying gazing at his face for some time half an hour maybe more, she didn't care how long. She was gazing at his sleeping face all dishevelled and sexy. His arm was round her waist holding her close, and she wanted that feeling to never end, there was the thought that she had all day with him, and that was the most magnificent feeling in the world right now. There was a knock on the door and Ron's voice called though,

"c'mon we are all up! Come and have breakfast, Fleur is cooking Christmas lunch it is a great spectator sport!"

Harry stirred and opened his eyes blinking in the soft light that seeped though the curtains.

"Morning beautiful"

He said sleepily stretching gently.

"Good morning"

Replied Ginny smiling lovingly at him. Harry propped himself up on his elbows and ran his hand through his hair. Ginny ran her hand down the back of his neck and down the groove in his back. Harry leant over and smiled cheekily at her with a twinkle in his eye. He kissed her very gently and tenderly. They stayed with their faces close for a moment just enjoying the warm fuzzy feeling!

"c'mon we are missing the Fleur cooking spectacular!"

Said Harry grinning. He carefully slipped over Ginny and out of bed, Ginny had forgotten just how magnificent his body really was. He shoved his clothes on very fast and Ginny thought how annoying it was that Harry only had to put on 3 items of clothing and that was it he was dressed! Harry turned to look at Ginny sitting up in bed.

"c'mon then"

He said

"You go ahead I will be just a sec"

Harry frowned at her; he sat on the bad next to her and put his arm round her and his other hand on her knee.

"What's wrong gin? You haven't been right since I arrived here?"

Ginny shrugged and thought furiously for an excuse

"I just don't want you to see my starch marks that's all. I am only 17 and its embarrassing."

Harry stoked her face

"You could have green skin with purple spots for all I care and I would still love you"

Ginny smiled sympathetically at him.

"Thank you… but still can I have just a little dignity."

Harry smiled back

"Ok I'll see you in a minute"

Harry kissed her on the cheek got up and gave her a last cheeky smile before he closed the door behind him. Ginny reached her hand under her arm to feel her wound as it was sore; she found It hard to see so she used her mirror. There were back threads spreading under her skin, it was the same rash she had got the time she had her breaking episode back at school. She couldn't see it spreading visibly as she looked at it, a trickle of black blood ran down her side, it didn't hurt her when it bled the wound was already open. She grabbed a tissue and wiped away the blood. Ginny let out a sigh and put her hand on her belly. This was killing her and she knew it. She told her self 'almost half way now, still alive, that has to be a positive thing'

Ginny carefully struggled into a shirt and a jumper and managed to get into a pair of hipster jeans, but she couldn't do up the top button. She brushed her hair and got she looking presentable. She slowly made her way downstairs to be met bay the amazing sight of Fleur's cooking there were pots and pans cavorting round the room with amazing vats of food on the top of the aga, there were knifes chopping food and peeling potatoes on every counter, with Fleur standing on a small stool by the sink conducting the kitchen like some kind of bizarre orchestra, Ginny knew that Fleur was talented but she had never imagined that she could manage this level of multi tasking. But just as she thought that she realised that the knife on the far counter had run out of carrot and so had taken to starting to cut up the chopping board, with surprising success considering it was a smooth vegetable knife and it was a large wooden chopping board.

Harry Ron and Hermione were sitting holding bowls of cereal as the table was covered in Fleur's orchestra. They were looking up watching the show laughing and chatting. Bill was at the end of the table sitting casually back in his chair. He had managed to clear enough space for his bowl of cereal that he dipped into now and again whilst reading the daily prophet, with the quibbler lying open on his lap. Ginny ducked though the assault course of flying pots and pans.

"What can I get you Ginny?"

Fleur shouted over the noise.

"Just a small bowl of cereal please?"

Ginny shouted back

"Any toast?"

Asked Fleur

"no no the cereal will be fine thank you."

Ginny knew that it wouldn't be instant as Fleur had to conduct it into her bizarre symphony and it probably wasn't safe to go too close to the counters to get your own, especially as the now slightly bent vegetable knife had finished with the chopping board and had stared on the counter with a nasty stabbing motion. Bill didn't look up from his paper and said.

"Morning gin, hope you have a big appetite? We seem to be feeding the 5000"

Ginny laughed and there was a small call from Fleur to Bill, Bill put his hand up in to the pots and pans express lane that was going over his head at high speed and with great skill caught a small bowl of cereal and passed it to Ginny.

"Thank you … umm may I have a.."

But before Ginny could finish a spoon sped across the room and stopped in front of her face.

"Thank you"

Once they had all finished breakfast, they retreated to the safety of the lounge, miraculously no one was smacked by any pots on the way out of the safe circle of the kitchen table. They talked for a while about what would be the best thing to do in regards to Molly and Arthur, who they were expecting to arrive in less than an hour. They decided that Harry Ron and Hermione would stay in the lounge and give Bill Fleur (if you can catch her) and Ginny time to prepare them for the shock of having them there, there was brief discussions about removing the memories of the day for their own safety but it was decided that it would be cruel and unfair.

They were now expecting Molly and Arthur any minute so Bill and ginny went back into the kitchen. The counters were pilled high with food and the over enthusiastic veg knife had been put in a pot on the floor which was now tied up with tea towels to stop it pushing the lid off, this didn't stop it from bashing and clanging angrily in the pot. Ginny and Bill stood by the wall to watch what seemed to be a finale! (hopefully without the fireworks but you never know!) large pots were lined up hovering above the table, trays of glazed veg and small intricate rolls, hand made sausages and pots of suede and carrot and garlic sprouts. Suddenly all movement stopped and Fleur was stood panting still standing on her stool with her wand in the air. She shouted instructions in French and some of the post whizzed off into different places some into the aga oven, some on to the hot plate and one went out of the window, which was unexpected. Then she faced the rest of the pots.

"Now 'zen! Places! We have less 'zan 2 hours till lunch move move move!"

The remaining pots zoomed into place and Fleur let out an enormous sigh as the aga door closed neatly behind the last tray. Bill grinned,

"Well done my darling that was most masterful!"

He went and offered his hand to help Fleur down from the stool and she then slumped into a kitchen chair.

"That was amazing Fleur that really was"

Said Ginny also grinning

"You know it is really 'ard, we 'ave some pots zat my parents gave us as wedding preazents and zay don't understand English commands! And of course the English ones don't understand French."

Bill and Ginny laughed.

"So what went wrong with that one then?"

Said Ginny pointing at the pot on the floor containing the angry knife that was now putting large dents in the lid of the pot.

"I sink it was anozer present, it may 'ave just followed zee crowd when I 'handed out jobs, I don't sink it really understood, maybe it doesn't understand English or French?"

Bill looked at the pot that was clattering and banging

"Maybe its Spanish? They tend to be very passionate about their work don't they?"

Said bill

"Could be?"

Said Fleur. There was along pause where they all considered the knife in the pot.

"Oh god Ginny you 'aven't ad your treatment today, come we will do it now so zat you have some time to recover before lunch come come."

Fleur lead Ginny to the bedroom and Ginny slipped her arm out of her sleeve. Fluer lent to look at the wound.

"Oh Ginny!"

Gasped Fleur shocked at the back skin round the wound she went to speak again but Ginny interrupted her.

"Its ok, really its not spreading that fast, I am fine for now, I feel ok, lets just get this done, Mum and Dad will be here any minute."

Fleur was good and although they were expecting guests she didn't rush the treatment. They finished up and went back down stairs. Ginny looked pale and felt woozy as she always did afterwards. But she was happy in herself and that made her feel better. When they came down the stairs Bill was conducting the washing up, it was much slower and more sedate than Fleur's rollercoster ride of the morning. Bill was watching out of the window so that he could see when Molly and Arthur were approaching. Fleur slumped back into her chair and used the bottom of a metal try to check her face, which was spattered with small bits of various things she had been cooking.

"Oh I think that's them"

Said bill peering out of the window, Fleur quickly fixed her face and hair with a quick spell and Ginny sat up in her chair. Bill left the washing up to finish its self and went to the door to let them in.

"Mum Dad! Happy Christmas!"

He said hugging them as they entered, Fleur got up to greet them to and took their coats. Molly was all hugs and kisses to Bill as Arthur kissed Fleur on the cheek

"Merry Christmas Fleur"

Then he moved onto Ginny.

"Hello love how are you feeling?"

He said

"I'm not too bad,"

Said Ginny telling a white lie, meanwhile molly had finally put Bill down and turned to Fleur she kissed her on the cheek and have her a hug

"My god dear you look like you have run a marathon, you look terrible!"

Fleur's expression dropped

"Here sit down love and I will make us a nice cup of tea"

Molly immediately set to work and Fleur rolled her eyes as she sat back into her chair. They were then all sitting down round the table with their cups of tea accept Bill who stood behind Fleur gently rubbing her shoulder.

"Well I suppose it comes to presents doesn't it?"

"Oh that reminds me!"

Said molly summoning the large covered tray that was placed on the table when they entered, she uncovered it and there it was a lovely big goose

"There will be far too much here for just the 5 of us"

Molly said laughing as she levitated it into the only remaining space in the oven

"Well you would be surprised"

Said Bill laughing awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck Molly sat back down with her cup of tea

"Anyway as I was saying presents…"

But molly interrupted again

"Not till after lunch you know that!"

Bill sighed

"I don't think that this present will want to wait till after lunch"

Then Arthur interrupted

"What's that?"

He said pointing at the pot tied up with tea towels banging angrily I the corner

"It's a foreign very over enthusiastic veg knife… look stop changing the subject!"

Molly and Arthur grinned

"Sorry love, carry on"

Said molly, Bill sighed and continued

"We have a present for you, it might be a bit of a shock, but I know you will like it ok? So just be prepared for it to be a big present… ok?"

Molly and Arthur looked very worried all of a sudden

"Bill what have you?…"

"Don't ask questions I will go get them and all will become clear"

He crossed the room to the lounge door opened it and beckoned them in. Harry, Ron and Hermione walked into the room and Ron said the first word.

"Hey mum we have come to join you for Christmas."

There was along pause while Molly and Arthur sat looking shocked, then Molly let out an enormous shriek making everyone jump and Arthur nearly jumped off his chair. Molly ran forward and was all hugs and kisses to all three of them, Arthur went and hugged Ron and Harry and kissed Hermione in the cheek, and then he asked

"What are you doing here? Surely this is far too dangerous for you? Has something happened? Something that we should know about?"

Ron looked at Hermione as did Harry. And she spoke up

"no there's nothing, we have had a rough time the last couple of weeks, but we are all ok and we have just come here for Christmas… if you will have us?"

Fleur grinned

"you are always welcome in our 'ome"


	29. Chapter 29 Battle From Green Flames

Chapter 29 Chapter 29

Shell cottage was humming with a warm fuzzy feeling, for the first time in what seemed like months and months for just a few hours everyone was just enjoying Christmas.

Fleur's amazing Christmas lunch was well worthy of its epic construction, but Molly's goose was of course the jewel in the crown, even with the 8 of them they still couldn't finish it, it really was enormous. There was some discussion as to whether it really was a goose (or an emu?). Once everyone was totally full and had absolutely no room for anything else, they staggered through to the lounge and chatted.

From what Arthur had to say, things at the ministry weren't going well, not well at all. Arthur had taken to using the visitors entrance every day now because people were now going missing between their homes and the ministry on their way to work, Arthur expected that it was the floo system, he suggested that Fleur and Bill block out their fireplace, spying though fireplaces can be quite subtle, and there is no telling what they could be finding out from such a simple form of intelligence. And Christmas especially is a time for chatting round the fire. And they were so very vulnerable with Ginny there and no surrounding public places like roads or other houses, they could be taken or killed and there would be no near by help to stop them. Arthur expected to be loosing his job any day now many of his close colleges were on the list of the missing that was being compiled by the order of the phoenix. This news only seemed distressing if you thought it back to your self, as they were talking about it, it didn't seem all that bad.

Harry shifted in his seat. His head was a little uncomfortable and his mind was spinning with the possibilities of using the floo network to spy on people, all the things that they could find out and all the places that were now unsafe for not only him but for everyone close to him,

"You ok?"

Said Ginny, breaking Harry's scary head spin, he forced a smile

"yer I'm fine… I might just go get a glass of water."

Said Harry trying to cover up the fact that his head was now not only swimming but also banging hard.

Harry got up and went though to the kitchen, he stopped as he went though the door closing it behind him, he looked cautiously over at the fire, but a red haze was coming down over his eyes like a red curtain. He went to the sink and filled his hands with water and splashed his face running his hands though his hair. He grabbed a glass and took a small sip from it. Harry knew that the atmosphere next door could not last, so much had happened that Harry had almost not thought about the mission that Dumbledore had left him. He had to destroy the Horcruxes. Harry looked up, and looked out of the window at the sea, there was a storm heading in from the north it was travelling at great speed, it had got windy since he had last stuck his head outside.

Harry decided to make the most of the time he had left here and turned to go back to the lounge, as he stood up straight he saw a movement in the embers in the fire just out of the corner of his eye, he froze and looked straight at them, it was a second before he saw it, and then there it was, a face in the fire, Harry took a startled step back, and the face looked at him. Harry was horror struck, and for a moment so was the face in the fire (it clearly hadn't expected to see Harry Potter), he recognised the mans face as one of the deatheater's that he had fought last year. Suddenly the face in the fire launched forward and the body of the death eater erupted out of the embers in an explosion of green flames. As a gut reaction of pure instinct Harry slowed time in its tracks. The embers from round the deatheater's feet here floating bizarrely as if they were weightless, the deatheater's eyes fixed on Harry. Harry had pulled out his wand and was already in a coiled spring stance. With dignity and pulpous he straightened up relaxing his hands beside him and unbeknown to him holding his wand between his fingers the same way the dark lord held his. Harry approached the bizarre suspended deatheater that was floating horizontal in mid leap at Harry's waist height, his eyes still fixed on the point where Harry had been. This deatheater was invading Harry's safe haven, the place where his unborn child was being cared for, and the love of his life called a safe refuge. The more Harry thought about it the enraged he became and the more sickened he felt. Harry was not going to let him get away with this, or anything else he had done. Harry pressed his wand between the deatheater's eyes and leapt into his mind, Harry had only ever dipped into peoples minds before like putting your hand in a river, this time he had taken a full plunge. Submerging himself completely in the feeling and emotion. Harry could see hundreds of fireplaces rushing though his mind, people he recognised and people he didn't, Tonk's parents were among them, occasionally a few words or a person would be focused on, then the mind quickly jumped to a dark empty room that has glistening wet walls, with a fire place in the corner. A lamp lifted and Harry caught on that the wet walls were drenched in blood. A person came tumbling out of the fireplace in what seemed like work clothes, the person was face down on the floor having had such a rough landing, the person rolled over to reveal a woman's face, Harry recognised it as Tilly Rawbridge, he had seen her before she was a Jr member at the ministry. Very Jr only in her mid 20s at most, Harry had seen her at Bill and Fleur's wedding, exchanging polite words. The poor woman was lying on the floor petrified, shacking all over. Men came from behind Harry's viewpoint and grabbed her yanking her to her feet. Harry heard the deatheater's voice.

'You are very foolish, and you will die for stupidity'

Then Harry heard the woman pleading that she had never done anything to hurt anyone. Then a great red flash and the woman was cut and sliced all over, her blood adding to the wet walls, screaming in pain she was taken away, Harry knew that the woman had possible minuets to live after theses events. Harry's mind raced though dozens of other instances so similar to this one, again people he knew, people he didn't, people pleading for the safety of their children and family's, one woman begging for her life, for the sake of her baby son.

Harry's blood was boiling and he could feel rage welling up inside him, there was no curse he could think of that would be good enough for this man that was suspended in front of him. Harry broke the connection between their minds and stepped back from him with tears in his eyes. Harry outstretched his wand and without even knowing what he was doing he had no spell in his head, no planned curse, just a feeling, a feeling of rage. Harry felt it rush up inside him like rising water, he couldn't hear anything, all he could feel was rage and anger, he could taste it, and smell it and almost see it. He then let all that rage rush forth and leave him though his wand, the unnamed spell travelled slowly though the air as time was so slow and every second Harry pushed more power into it. A hot orange curse that was totally of Harry's own making. As it touched the deatheater his skin bubbled violently, Harry was taken aback by the reaction his rage filled curse had had, he dropped his hand and just stared at the deatheater who was now slowly dropping to the floor. The deatheaters skin began to burst open as it if were shrinking, then the muscles began bursting and then the ribcage cracked open. The deatheater was still alive; his heart was still beating Harry could see it. Then the deatheaters flesh began to burn and the man convulsed as he hit the hard stone kitchen floor with a sickening crack. Harry paused time completely to stare at the crippled and broken body of the deatheater on the floor in front of him.

Harry had not killed the deatheater the fall and broken neck had done that, the corpse was not beautiful or sleeping it was violent and disfigured. Harry released time letting it accelerate back to normal. Harry stood frozen next to his victim, but noises from next door broke his trance. They must have been disturbed by the noise. He heard foots steps towards the door and he suddenly realised the scene that they were about to walk into. He darted for the door, as it opened Ron's face met Harry's

"Harry what the …?"

Exclaimed Ron

"Harry panting a little from the shock of what he had just done ushered Ron back.

"No don't come in don't look… keep everyone in here its… its…."

Ron was confused but he had an understanding with Harry so he turned to his family and Hermione and said

"Its ok stay here don't come in"

Ron gestured to Harry to lead the way back into the kitchen and Harry didn't question it. Harry hung his head still desperately gripping his wand and heard Ron close the door behind them. Ron turned round and froze horror struck. Harry stood behind him staring at the corpse in a similar way.

"He's a deatheater he was spying on us from the fire."

Said Harry in a small voice. But then he realised what Ron must be thinking

"I didn't do it!… I didn't kill him"

Ron looked at Harry as if Harry really had gone mad and said sarcastically

"Oh no, obviously people just spontaneously combust like this all the time its totally normal"

Harry sighed

"That's not what I meant, obviously I did the whole…. 'Burning thing' but he broke is neck when he hit the floor at such a funny angle."

They both walked round the body, which had now stopped smoking. Ron knelt down to look at the deatheater's face.

"Did we ummmmm well… have we come across this guy before?"

Harry nodded in reply

"Fought him last year"

Ron stood up

"Not that you would recognise him now though ay"

Said Ron almost laughing

"So what are we going to do?"

Harry held out his wand

"deminuendo"

The body shrank to the size of a mouse

"We have lingered here far too long, we haven't made any real progress for weeks"

Harry said in a defeated manner. He bent down and picked up the body there was a short silence while they both looked at the crumpled piece of meat in Harry's hand. Harry turned away.

"Tell Hermione to gather all our stuff we are leaving… now!… Its not safe here, I will deal with the body."

Harry went to go to the door but Ron wasn't finished

"Harry wait a second we…"

"NO Ron… we are going now… get ready… I wont be long."

And with that Harry slammed the front door behind him. Ron stood stunned for a moment, and then he snapped out of it, and dashed to the lounge. He stuck his head in and looked straight at Hermione.

"Hermione c'mon were going… now!"

Hermione jumped to her feet and came to the door

"What's the sudden urgency? What has …happened"

Hermione looked down at the floor where the body had been, there was a man shaped bloody mark on the floor. She grabbed Ron's collar and hissed at him in an angry whisper.

"What the hell has happened here!"

"Harry killed a deatheater who was spying from the fire, every second we stay here we put my family in danger we have to go, right now."

"Where is Harry?"

"He is … ummm. Getting rid of the body, technically it was the fall that killed him not Harry"

Ron pulled away and began to rummage though the cupboards for useful food like bread or fruit, he was filling his pockets and then went to grab his cloak"

"What fall? Where was he falling from?"

Said Hermione now very confused, suddenly the door opened and everyone flooded in looking at the bloody patch on the floor. Ron froze just as he was lunging forward to grab Hermione's wrist to drag her to the door. Ginny looked down and gasped in horror

"Ron what the fuck?!"

Shouted Bill pointing at the floor

"Its not as bad as it looks, a deatheater was in the fire, just like you said dad! And he jumped Harry, and Harry cursed him, and he fell and broke his neck, and now Harry is getting rid of the body, and we are leaving!"

This all came out rather as all one sentence, and all Ron's family stood round looking rather stunned mouths gaping. As Arthur was just about to say something Harry burst though the door, there was now a strong wind and Harry's hair was blown and ruffled like some kind of warrior. Silence fell for a few seconds as they all looked at Harry. Harry looked up

"Time to go"

Said Harry forcefully. Molly rushed forward and hugged Ron then Hermione,

" Be careful"

She said her voice wobbling a little; Ginny stepped over the bloody patch and went to Harry. Harry didn't move and remained with his hand on the door on the door and a hand by his side, he stood over Ginny, she reached a hand up to his face. Harry grabbed it and kissed it with his eyes clenched shut.

"Every moment we spend here we put you in danger."

He said addressing the whole room, he then bent down and gave Ginny one single simple kiss.

"Good bye my love"

He whispered gently. Before Ginny could reply he reached behind her and grabbed his cloak from the hook, and immediately turned away, throwing the cloak over his shoulders, he stalked out of the door followed by Ron, who was dragging Hermione, Hermione grabbed her cloak as she passed the hooks and with her last second she managed a flourish with her wand,

"cilitio!"

And the bloody patch on the floor melted away as quickly as it had been caused. Ginny stepped out onto the doorstep to see Ron jogging after Harry's demanding still stalking figure as his stepped effortlessly over the rough ground. Hermione was trotting along behind to catch up, stealing a small glance back, but she was soon grabbed by Ron to drag her faster.

After a few seconds Ginny could no longer hear the sound of them walking away, the air was wet and she eventually began to loose clear sight of them in the mist. Ginny felt a cold drop of rain fall on her cheek, it rolled down her face and soon the air was full of rain and the sound of the wind and the water filled her ears, the rain was freezing and Ginny began to shiver, but she didn't want to go, if she did she would defiantly not catch one last glance, Fleur came up behind her putting her hands on Ginny's shoulders

"Ginny come in… please"

Ginny turned and nodded, as she stepped up into the doorway, she chanced one last look back. There was no Harry, no human figures on the horizon, just a hunched black figure stalking on all fours disappearing into the mist. Ginny paused then turned and casually went into the house closing the door behind her


	30. Chapter 30 The Eye Of The Sahrk

Chapter 30 Chapter 30

The air was thick with cold and the wind was biting at any soft substance. There was a storm closing in and there was a nasty menacing nature to the waves lapping at the bottom of the granite cliffs, they leapt up at its face and clawed at the surface.

There was an almighty crack like thunder and the figures of Harry, Ron and Hermione appeared on the small grassy ledge jutting out from the cliff, the force of their apparition had forced the light raindrops to blast away from them creating a shock wave around them. Harry stalked silently ahead of the other 2, just as he had when they left Shell Cottage. His cloak was wrapped round his body and he looked far bigger and far darker than he had ever seemed before. He stopped at the cliff edge and the wind blow at his face licking his hair across his features. Ron and Hermione stopped in the middle of the grassy platform, Hermione was shivering and Ron put his arm around her. The weather was moving in fast and the wind and the crashing of the waves were now like loud drums hammering in the air.

"What now Harry?"

Shouted Hermione, Harry stepped away from the cliff but didn't look at his companions

"The chamber is full of water the only way to release it is bore a hole in the rock here at the top to release the vacuum"

Harry suddenly looked up at Hermione and he had a very menacing quality to him. He didn't seem to shout but they could hear his voice clearly above the wind.

"We cant do that, the chamber will become penetrable, it will become a weakness."

They all stood for a minute frozen to the spot, Hermione shaking more and more in the cold, the rain was getting steadily heavier.

"What do you suggest then?"

She shouted back at Harry in a frustrated way

"Harry strode over to them and for a second Hermione thought that Harry might hit her and obviously so did Ron because he pulled Hermione back a small step away from Harry. Harry paused and then looked Ron straight in the eye. Not saying a word. Hermione looked between them wondering if they were communicating some meaningful event that she had missed.

"Can you do it?"

Said Harry suddenly. Ron let go of Hermione and went a meter or so away from them he linked his fingers and flexed his arms out in front of him cracking his knuckles.

"Just watch me he said with a slight grin"

Hermione had no idea what Ron was about to do, you cannot 'create' air or even move it in that way, as far as she knew, she had no idea what his plan was.

Ron pulled his wand out of his pocket and held it out in front of him, he looked down at the floor and shuffled a bit on his feet then he looked directly upwards and shuffled again. He then slowly began to stir the space in front of him with his wand. The rain seemed to form a whirlpool in that space.

That whirlpool suddenly shot up into the sky, Harry spread his feet to brace himself against the shock wave, but Hermione was blasted backwards and was left cowering on the floor. The whirlpool seemed to cut into the floor, but without damaging it at all. The mixture of air and rain was just disappearing at Ron's feet. Ron had his arms out and was shaking under the weight of his own spell, there was an almighty boom and the water began to erupt out of the small cave under the base of the cliffs, the only exterior entrance to the temple. The wind was circling faster and faster and the whirlwind was now enormous and pressing down on Ron. Ron's heals had dug several inches into the ground under the sheer weight that he was supporting.

There was a clap of thunder and Ron let out one pained cry into the sky, the water stopped erupting and instead there was another massive boom as air blasted the water away from the cave. The whirlwind stopped as quickly as it had been make and Ron dropped to his hands and knees panting.

Hermione and Harry remained in there positions Hermione on the floor and Harry in his long cloak towering in front of her.

"Ron?"

Hermione whispered under her breath,

"RON??"

She scrambled over to him, rolling him onto his back as he seemed to loose the strength to even kneel, she rolled him over in her arms and was shocked to see an enormous grin on his face as he laughed a little, Hermione just looked stunned. And Ron laughed.

"I… Kick… ASS!"

Hermione broke a smile to, with relief

"Yes Ron you do"

She managed to say though the hammering rain. Harry circled them and knelt down on Ron's other side grabbing his shoulder.

"Take us down Ron"

There was a neat snap as they disappeared that snap echoed as it bounced off the cliffs and danced on down the cost line.

They found themselves on wet stone with small splashing sounds all round them

Harry lit his wand and stood up in the darkness, Ron sat up and slowly got to his feet. Harry looked round at Ron.

"Would you like to do the honers?"

Ron smiled and came to stand next to Harry.

"Aquilla…LIGHT!"

The temple seemed to shimmer blindingly with the wet walls. The small splashing sounds were fish flapping about on the floor. Crabs had made their homes all up the steps into the entrance hall. Dragging dirt and sand with them. Hermione got to her feet and came to stand next to Ron. They all stood there looking round at the temple.

"Isn't it amazing what a week under the sea will do"

Said Hermione in awe. Looking at the seaweed on the walls. Harry stepped forward to head up the steps and the crabs parted in his wake as if they couldn't bare to be near him. This made Hermione think for a moment but she went after Ron as they followed him into the entrance hall. As they walked in there was a groaning and there in the middle of the floor was a basking shark. Its white freckles shone beautifully in the surrounding light. And its skin glistened. It gave another groan and its gills gapped. Hermione ran over to it touching its head. Ron ran to her grabbing her arms to pull her away but she shook him off

"Don't be silly Ron these are harmless even in the water"

Ron put his hands in his pockets and skulked away a bit muttering under his breath

"Its still a bloody shark"

Harry stood now half way up the grand staircase his cloak wet and trailing behind him.

"Harry what should we do?"

Said Hermione desperately, worrying for the poor shark. Harry froze staring into the eye of the shark though his wet hair, for a moment he thought to do nothing, let it die then he saw suffering in the eye of the shark, the same suffering he had seen in the eyes of Tilly Rawbridge just before she was killed, if he left the shark, then he was as bad as the Deatheater who killed her. He broke his trance.

"AQUILLA!… get this mess cleaned up, all that is meant to be in the sea put it back"

The walls groaned and droplets of water left on the roof dropped down like rain and the shark began to slide towards the steps, as did all the fish and the crabs and the seaweed.

Harry turned away and began to walk up the stairs, the waterfall of suffocating sea life again parted round him as he walked up the stairs. Leaving Hermione and Ron standing at the bottom.

Hermione turned to Ron.

"I suppose I had better go and check that my library hasn't melted."

Ron smiled and watched her walk away. Ron stood for a moment. What a strange position he was now in. the only on to have not had a trauma, does this mean that his is coming? Ron shrugged off the idea and walked to the rooms on the left of the entrance hall. All the doors were clearly watertight; there was no sign of even a drop of water behind any of the doors. The slytherin locket was still floating eerily on the plinth in the first room, and the feather and hair brooms were still dry as a bone. Ron walked back out to the entrance hall and up the stairs, he looked over at Harry's door, which was slightly open. Ron went over and opened it gently; he was shocked to find it such a mess, when the other rooms were so perfect. Harry was sat on the end of the bed hunched over, he sniffed and Ron thought he ought to let Harry know he was there.

"Aquilla… Dry this room"

The water came out of all the objects as neat floating ribbons that joined together and floated out of the door.

"You alright mate?"

Said Ron

"mmmm"

Replied Harry Ron took this as a yes and closed the door behind him.

We need to rest thought Ron, we need to rest and think.


	31. Chapter 31 A Lone Cristmas Star

Chapter 31 Chapter 31

The streets of Hagglroth were busy. Christmas night had brought people out to sing round the Christmas tree in the village centre and there were vendors selling roasted chestnuts and small Christmas gifts. Hagglroth was the next most wizarding village in the country after Hogsmeade. About 75 of the population were wizard folk and the remaining 25 were elderly people who were mostly already in bed, so the wizards pretty well had run of the streets. There were happy laughs and people had brought out there young children to see the Christmas tree. But the star on the top of the Christmas tree was the only star you would see if you looked up. A thick cloud covered the sky and it was swirling more like smoke than clouds.

A small and slight woman was pushing a buggy round the outside of the square; her very young baby was wrapped up in many blankets to keep out the cold. She stopped for a moment in the corner of the square in the shadows, so that she was unlikely to be noticed by other people, he was so fed up of their commiserations, and people telling her that they were 'so sorry for her loss'. Being sorry never fixed anything, it couldn't bring her husband and son back. The baby slept soundly in its blankets, and the woman stared out at a family who had a young son about 4ish and a baby only a month or so older than her own, the father had the baby sat on his shoulder and was pointing up at the decorations on the tree. The woman glanced back at her own child and one single tear crept down her check. She had had enough and just went to take a step to push the buggy home, and the street lamp flickered above her head, she looked up and then she realised that it was not just hers, but all the street lamps, all round the village square. The jolly music that had been playing slowly petered out, and silence fell over everyone. Suddenly all the lights cut and the only light left was that in the fairy lights on the tree.

The woman couldn't see well through the dark, but she could hear people shifting about in an uneasy way. Then suddenly the bulbs on the fairy lights starting at the bottom began to explode; there were some small screams of surprise as people shielded themselves from the shards of glass. The final bulb smashed and the square was plunged into complete darkness. The woman saw wands light up round the tree.

The white wand light was catching the branches of the tree through the blackness. Then echoing though the air came sickening cracking sounds, and the tree seemed to contort, the sky now looked extremely angry and a shaft of cloud seemed to be reaching down to the tree. The tree was now crumpling and had begun to glow with heat showing up the surrounding wizards as silluets. Everyone was now moving quickly away. The small woman pulled the buggy round roughly making the baby stir and she began to jog quietly back round the square staying in the shadows so as not to be seen, people began to shout to one another. The tree was now no more than a molten flaming puddle and as soon as she took her eyes of it there was massive bang sending what looked like pieces of red hot glowing rock and stone flying outwards speckling the houses round the square. This bang was followed by more. There were now people shouting all round her and running for their lives sprinting past her pushing and shoving. There was the sound of children crying and the woman's buggy was struggling on the cobbles she could see flashes of green and purple from behind her, bodies were flying into the air, and the sound of terrified screams shrieked though the night. Then as the last few people pushed past her the woman tripped pulling the buggy over with her, she smacked her face on the cobbles filling her mouth with blood. The baby fell to the side but remained in the buggy. The baby was screaming with terror, and as the woman came two after such a knock to the head all she could hear was the sound of children crying, she looked up to see a young girl toughing at her mothers collar as the mother lay face down limp on the path, and a boy sitting in the middle of the road behind her, surrounded buy bodies strewn and crippled around him a tall figure with a shorter one walked up to look down on the boy. All the woman could see was their silluets against the fire behind them. The taller man pulled out a wand and held it delicately between his fingers; he then held it out towards the boy,

"Avada.."

Began the mans course hissing voice

"NOOOOOO!!"

Screamed the woman grabbing for her own wand, she drew it with professional speed and sent a horrific curse at the taller man. But he was far to quick for her, he rebounded the curse off his arm and onto the boy crying on the floor, the tiny boy fell limply backwards, that was far too rougher curse for any child to survive. The woman sat for a second staring at the heap at the man's feet that she had killed trying to save. The tall man came towards her, sweeping elegantly over the ground. He stood a few paces away from her and she caught sight of the features on his face in the flame light, she was taken back in horror when she saw his snake like slitted nose and his piercing eyes, but she couldn't move she was transfixed. The man held out his wand with a straight arm and said very quietly but with great intention

"Avadakadabra"

The green flash penetrated the woman's body killing her instantly. The street was left empty, the little girl toughing at her mother had run when se saw the boy killed, and all that was left was the screaming of one baby who lay next to his dead mother, in a fallen over buggy.

The taller man removed his hood. And turned to the shorter man behind him.

"Remove your hood Malfoy, you have nothing to hide from"

The shorter man slowly dropped his hood behind his neck to reveal neat blonde hair. The man that stood in the square was a far cry form the boy he had once been, he was now so thin and sallow, his once healthy but pale skin was a shade of grey and his eyes had lost their fight from them.

The Taller man circled round the woman's body and bent down to the crying baby.

"Now that's one thing I can't stand Malfoy… that's the sound of a baby crying"

The man reached out his grey bony hands and scooped up the child. Malfoy was amazed to see the dark lord take the child so close to his body. The babies' frantic screams were subsiding to a distressed sob.

"There, there, stop crying"

The dark lord stroked the baby's face with just one finger. Malfoy could not see fully, but the baby gave a small cough and a sigh then stopped crying

"How fragile life is"

Said the Dark Lord as he handed the baby casually to Malfoy. Malfoy cradled it in his arms and realised that the baby's mouth was hanging open, lolling almost, then the baby began to bubble and turn black, as its flesh melted away from its bones. Malfoy dropped in horror and disgust, looking at his hands as if they were covered in blood. Malfoy looked up at the Dark Lord horrified. The Dark Lord looked back at him.

"Nothing worse than a baby crying… come we have prisoners to gather"

The man swept over the cobbles and away down the street into the darkness followed by Malfoy cowering below his master.


	32. Chapter 32 The Darkest Of Rooms

Chapter 32

Chapter 32

It was impossible to know what time of day it was outside. The cave hung low and dark over the heads of the 3 young wizards. The atmosphere was uncomfortable and the water in the pool in the cavern was swirling menacingly and beckoningly. It was had become hard to tell if it had been 5 days or 5 hours since they had returned. Harry had made several visits to the library. Each time Hermione had let him walk around a little while before asking if she could help him.

"Is there anything I can help you find? What are you looking for?"

But the reply she got was always the same

"No… I don't know what I am looking for"

Then he would stalk off muttering angrily. Harry's mood seemed to be on tenter hooks. He was such a delicate balance now. Hermione couldn't help but think back to what had happened to the deatheater. Fair enough the curse hadn't killed him but it was still probably the most hideous curse she had seen done to someone.

Ron was busy eating to fill the time when he hadn't eaten at Shell Cottage. Even Fleur's amazing Christmas meal had not filled him up apparently, mean while Harry seemed to do laps of the temple going into each room in tern and then moving to the next. Hermione was becoming increasingly worried about him and so she sat on the stairs in the entrance hall so that she could keep an eye on him he had just finished his 6th lap of the surrounding rooms when Ron came to sit next to Hermione.

"What's he doing?"

Ron whispered to Hermione though a mouth full of bacon buttie

"He's 'looking'"

Said Hermione quoting back what Harry had told her

"Looking for what? He's been at this for hours?"

"He doesn't know"

Said Hermione in a lightly exasperated tone. Hermione had Harry's timings down to a fine art. He spent a very measured amount of time in each room. The larger rooms took a few seconds longer and the smaller ones were a quick visit. Harry came out of the 3rd door on the left of the temple and began to cross the floor to the other side. Then Ron shouted to him.

"Any closer to finding what your looking for Harry?"

Hermione gave him a sharp elbow in the ribs. But Harry didn't even look up and just shook his head as he walked. He reached the other side and disappeared into the first door, as was his routine. Hermione looked at Ron.

"You shouldn't taunt him."

"I wasn't taunting him!"

Said Ron a in an amused tone

"No really Ron he is…. Well he's… he's not stable is he"

Ron's smile suddenly dropped and he looked at Hermione in a worried way

"What do you mean he's not stable?"

"You saw what he did to that deatheater, you saw what kind of curse he cast on him."

Ron interrupted

"He didn't kill that deatheater Hermione.. It was the fall you know that"

"Yes I know that but still, do you think that those kinds of wounds would have really healed?… can you honestly say that that MANS life would be worth living afterwards?"

"That DEATEATER deserved it there's no doubt about it"

"Who are you to deal out death and judgement Ron? How do you know that he disserved it? deatheater or no deatheater, that was a man not a creature not a monster…"

Ron interrupted again

"That's a matter of opinion"

Hermione suddenly snapped

"Think of Malfoy!"

Ron paused looking at Hermione he swallowed his mouthful and continued to look a little stunned at her. Then Harry came out of his door as planned but paused as he closed the door, looking at the floor. Then he looked up straight at one door on the other side of the temple, he crossed the floor breaking his circuit and entered the chosen room closing the door behind him

"What about him?"

Said Ron his playful taunting now gone from his voice

"Would you kill him?"

"What?"

"Would you kill him? Would you kill the git who has been nothing but fowl since day one, and now he is a deatheater he is probably taking pleasure in killing and hurting people, would you kill him?"

Ron looked into Hermione's eyes for a moment considering what she had said. Would Ron do it? if it were him or Malfoy then would he kill to save himself? Hermione's eyes were quivering with concentration on Ron's face. Ron stammered a little but Hermione broke his discomfort.

"You see… you see what we are up against, you see what is walking about down their that we call friend… hang on?"

Hermione stood up and climbed down a few steps looking at the door of room that Harry was in. she looked back up at Ron who was also looking at the door.

"He's been a while hasn't he?"

Said Hermione.

"yer he has?"

Said Ron putting his bacon buttie down on the step beside him. He got up and they went over to the door. Hermione pressed her ear up against it but couldn't hear anything. Slowly they opened the door a crack. This room was far darker then the others and there was a silvery shimmering quality to the air. It was the room with the round pool in the center. Ron and Hermione had tried to use it before but they had decided that it needed all 3 o them. Harry was standing right on the edge looking into the surreal swirling liquid. Hermione and Ron closed the door behind them. Harry knelt on the floor and went to tough the liquid. The liquid was limiting its own light it was glowing silver. Ron had let his shoe touch it last time and it burnt straight though

"Harry don't"

squealed Hermione but it was too late Harry's hand was already in. but he didn't yelp with pain instead he stirred the liquid with his fingers, he plunged his hand in further and the liquid touched his sleeve which shrivelled like it had touched acid Harry stood up and examined it. The drops that came of his hand rushed back to the pool when they hit the floor and the rest of the liquid seemed to disappear into his skin like his body was a sponge. Harry looked stunned. Hermione rushed over and grabbed his arm feeling it and turning his hand over in hers.

"That's incredible"

She stammered

"You haven't found any instruction manuals to this then?"

Said Harry as he moved to inspect the walls

"No I am afraid the books tell me very little about the temple, we don't even know how old it is"

Harry had paused at one point on the wall and was brushing it with his hand as if to clear dust off something. Hermione and Ron came to look over his shoulder.

"Aquilla I need more light in this room" the walls creaked a little and glowed a tiny bit more but it then almost instantly faded back to what they were before.

"Aquilla I said I need light I want to read this wall"

The walls seemed to heave with the effort managing a little more light than the last try but again it was less than a second before it faded. Hermione looked at Harry confused. Harry pulled out his wand as did Ron and Hermione they all lit them at the same time but then they all went out as if someone had blown them out like a candle.

"This room has to stay dark"

Said Hermione

"Clearly"

Said Harry, he turned round and thought for a second. Then he began to take off his shoes and socks rolling up his trousers.

"Harry what you doin mate?"

Said Ron in a worried voice

"Come on"

Said Harry. Ron looked at Hermione and shrugged and began to take off his own shoes and socks.

"What are you doing? Your both crazy you have no idea what is going to happen or what effect this is going to have on you!"

Ron and Harry were now standing either side of the pool they both looked at her waiting. Hermione stood stunned for a moment with her mouth gaping

Then she started to rant sarcastically

"Fine if we all want to just throw ourselves into something why not! We can all have our feet drop off or get possessed or whatever! Why should I care!"

She continued to rant as she pulled off her shoes and socks. But by the time she had taken her place round the pool she had rather run out of things to say. They all stood looking down into the swirling liquid.

"So what did you so last time?"

Said Harry

"Well we sat on the edge and we held hands and then stuff started happening"

Said Hermione

"Ok!"

Harry said as he sat down, Ron followed him and sat at the edge, Hermione hesitated then sat aswell. Slowly they brought their feet into the middle and gently lowered them into the liquid that jumped a little licking their legs. They looked up at each other and joined hands; the pool was curiously just small enough that if they leant forward a bit then they could make a complete circle. As soon as they completed the circle the liquid jumped up their legs grabbing them, and their hands became glued together.

"This didn't happen last time!!"

Yelped Hermione, then the room got darker and the pool brighter, and images began to appear in the pool. A silver figure began to stand up from the liquid, tall and commanding, images from the minds of the 3 wizards played across its body, memories, fears and aspirations all intertwined and fluctuating. The figure spoke straight into their minds with a deep but comforting voice.

"What is it I can do for you my masters"

Harry paused for a moment looking over at Ron and Hermione.

"We have a locket that belonged to the family Slytherin. We are unable to destroy it, we believe that some magical object may be required."

The figure stood frozen then said

"A weapon perhaps?"

Harry thought for a moment, that was it that was perfect, Dumbldor's Will hadn't meant all that much to Harry at the time, he had been left a snitch and the sword of Griffindor but they had not let him have the sword. He had not really treated it as that suspicious, because he knew its historical significance and that it wasn't really Dumbldor's to give.

"The sword of Griffindor?"

Said Harry

"Can you tell us where it is?"

He said with force, there was another long pause

"The sword is not where it should be"

the figure eventually said

"What do you mean"

Said Harry

"There is a fake in its place, bejewelled as finely as the original, sitting in the vault of the Lestrange family in the deepest heart of Gringots."

"And where is the real one?"

said hart frustrated

"Its harder to say"

Harry let out a sigh

"Can you find it?"

Said Ron

The figure whipped round to face him, and bent down to look into his face. The figure had no facial features but it seemed to be able to see from every surface of its body.

"For you, the sword can be found"

Then the figure erupted over Ron and Ron's hands disappeared from Harry and Hermione's there was a flash of blinding light causing Harry and Hermione to cower. When they opened their eyes the liquid had returned into the pool, as if nothing had happened and Ron was gone.


	33. Chapter 33 My God! Ron is Naked!

Chapter 33

Author's notes

Hello people! I know it has been a long while since this epic story began and you have all been enormously patient waiting for this next chapter and I am going to admit it is weak. I haven't written for months so it is a means to an end rather than a work of art. But this chapter leads to far more existing ones to come; you need to see what I am cooking up next! You think it has been existing and eventful so far?? Well believe me things are really going to get interesting now as we are fast approaching the finish line of this story!!

Harry and Hermione sat at the side of the pool stunned.

"Where has he gone!?"

squealed Hermione looking at Harry terrified

"Its ok this is all part of the plan I am sure"

Said Harry saying anything to try and comfort her

"He has been abducted by a man made of mercury!!"

Hermione whimpered. Harry stood up and looked into the pool for a moment.

"… Its ok he will come back"

And with that Harry swept out of the room.

Harry walked up the stairs into the living quarters, he was thirsty and he hadn't eaten for some time and although he was worried about Ron he had a quite faith in the temple's plan. As he ate he thought hard about what was happening. Ron was gone, Hermione had almost been killed, and well, in all truth she had been killed but came back by the skin of her teeth. Harry seemed to be no closer to defeating the wizard that he was put on this earth to kill. Everything in his life was a puzzle, and so much had gone on to stop him moving forward that he was no closer to defeating anyone. This ends now, he told himself. He strode out into entrance hall and crossed into the library. Hermione was already franticly looking through books to find out more about the silver pool. Harry went to her grabbing her arm and pulling her away from the books .

"Ron is going to be fine he is a big boy he can look after himself, right now I need you… I need your help Hermione can you help me?"

Hermione looked up at Harry with quivering eyes, she stared for moment then pulled herself together.

"Yes Harry …. What do you need?"

Harry gave a small smile,

"I need to know more about the Dead Zone"

Hermione paused for a moment, then nodded

"Most of the books are sketchy on the details, and out of all the thousands of books here only and handful mention it at all. It's in the Arctic on the true polar north, which incidentally is not at all where muggles think it is. Some of the oldest books describe a deep pit that goes on forever as if it has been drilled out of the ice. There is one book, that is believe it or not, written by a muggle. He was a poet and he died in an insane asylum in 1920, he writes ' The floor falls away, and you fall into a great chasm of loneliness and terror, only the monsters tread here. You fall and fall for what seems like an age then the ground becomes walls and the walls becomes ground, you tumble and tumble until you stop on the cold hard floor. The floor is frozen but the air is not cold. Stones and pebbles float above the ground as if they were floating on a layer of invisible water. Nothing can exist here.' And then there are some pages missing"

Harry thought for a second

"Why have I not been able to find Voldermort for so many weeks, he has been totally gone form all visions, even when I try my hardest, occlumency is not helping me to find him."

It was true, Harry had not mentioned it, but he had been trying for some time to find Voldermort. He knew that Voldermort would be hiding somewhere and controlling the ministry from this place, but he needed to know more about the Dead Zone.

"Nothing can cross over the dead zone no thoughts no magic no nothing. Magic doesn't work there either; a wizard is just a man there and everything that is enchanted dies. There are no magical connections in the air for magic to pass through."

Hermione explained looking at Harry wondering what all this was going to mean to him

"So are you telling me that if I was standing but a few feet form Voldermort with a wand in my hand and shot a killing curse at him then he wouldn't die?"

Said Harry slightly aghast

"Your wand wouldn't even flicker, it might as well be a twig"

Said Hermione

"But magical objects? Brooms and weapons of war? How about them?"

Harry was clutching at straws a little bit now

"If you mean magical weapons then no they wont work, a broom will drop to the floor and be just a broom good for sweeping but not a lot else. As far as weapons of war goes? A gun might work but I can't be sure"

Harry slummed in to he large leather chair by the library desk

"So what you are telling me is… that if I go to the dead zone I might as well snap my wand in two, use my broom for firewood and pull out a machine gun is that about right?"

Harry said this with his hands rubbing his temples in exasperation Hermione looked at Harry she desperately wanted to help him.

"Maybe we are looking at this all wrong Harry? If you are defenceless then so is he? He is just a scary creepy old man with a load of thugs to protect him?"

Harry perked up a bit so Hermione continued

"And all is not lost there is another book that has a picture of creatures in the dead zone, magical creatures they don't loose their magic in the dead zone because it runs though their veins… maybe those are your weapons of war Harry?"

Harry stood up and crossed the room in deep thought, could that work? Could he persuade some creatures to come with him to the Dead Zone?

"If I have creatures then he will aswell…"

He murmured to Hermione

"That's true but wouldn't you rather fight him as a mortal man?"

Harry paused for a moment then looked up at Hermione and smiled

"To die is human"

He said, Hermione smiled back.

Then suddenly there was an enormous crash that made them both jump, the doors of the library flung open and Ron charged in dripping with silver liquid and he was totally naked, wielding an enormous sword and an wearing an elated grin.

"Look what I have got!!!"

He yelled holding the sword of Griffindor out in front of him Hermione and Harry ran over to him

" And look what else I have got!!"

And from the other hand he showed a mangled piece of gold, Hermione grabbed his hand to take it, it was the mangled locket of sylitherin!

"Oh Ron you did it!"

Squealed Hermione Harry took the sword delicately from Ron's hand allowing Ron to hug Hermione. Harry looked at them both and grinned, they grinned back, and Harry said with a firm tone

"We have sat around for long enough, I think it is time we did some recruiting"


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Authors note

Oh my goodness I'm back! I'm so sorry all you people out there who have been loyally waiting for the next instalment in this story, it has become such an epic saga! For ages I have been struggling to sign in to fan fiction and then my computer suffered a fatal stoke and died. But I'm back! And its time to get this story done! Don't worry everybody you will not be disappointed! Apologies again for the epically long wait I love you all so much! Enjoy!

The sun was just breaking over the Hungarian mountains. Springs were breaking through their icy prisons as the weather grew warmer and fresh luscious water was drenching the deep valleys bellow. The deep hollowed call of the Hungarian horntail echoed gently on the wind as it whistled over the tree-covered slopes. The melt waters crashed over the craggy bolder filled rivers that cradled the valleys. A rock stood proud of the rushing water and on it stood a lone dark figure tall and cloaked. He was waiting.

The figure stared at a fixed point on the horizon with fixated concentration. With a deep boom this place on the horizon erupted, whole trees flew into he air and rocks the size of cars were flung aside, launching its self out of the undergrowth and off the valley wall was the largest Hungarian horntail dragon ever seen, it was colossal, the hooded figure didn't flinch and remained placed on the single rock on the center of the river. The dragon saw the figure immediately, it was the most venerable and exposed place he could be, so the dragon flew at him with all his mighty speed, he dropped low gathering speed over the close ground. The sheer air flow of this rocketing dragon was making the trees crack and strain as he flew past them, and the rivers waters gathered in front of him as the air pushed it forwards. The figure was being faced by a tidal wave of sharp ice filled floodwater and the largest angriest flaming fireball spitting dragon that had ever had human eyes laid upon it in such a way. It was advancing at incredible speed. But the figure remained unmoved, remaining as calm and still as before the wave of water grew close and the body of the dragon dropped down further. The dragon opened its mouth wide showing its hundreds of long needle like teeth, it dropped its head ready to swallow this invader to his valley whole, but before the dragon could even taste the flesh of his intruder time froze.

Harry dropped his hood and looked down the throat of the dragon as it stayed frozen in time bizarrely suspended like a magnificent sculpture in front of him. Harry had never seen one so still. It was truly a magnificent creature. It was horned all over with sharp barbs. Its eyes were small but the deepest gold and they glistened beautifully. Harry reached out his hand into the dragon's mouth and ran his hand down one of the dragon's long teeth. They were longer than most dragons and built for piercing rather than crushing. Harry managed to pull himself up on the side teeth in the mouth and got a foot onto the dragons tongue. He took a second to spare the thought

"hmmm never thought I would be voluntarily climbing up the side of a dragons mouth?"

Harry managed to use the dragon's barbed scales to climb up its side and onto its head. He gently shuffled down the neck and turned round so that he was facing forwards astride the dragons neck. He pulled a rope from under his robes and flung it under the dragon's neck. It took him a few attempts to catch it, this part of the plan had been fudged a bit, this was going to be the first dragon they had managed to recruit (if they succeeded) and it was a bit of an experiment and they weren't really sure if it was going to work. Harry was now sitting astride the dragon carefully positioned with the rope round its neck like reins. His plan was simple he was going to use occlumency to reason with the dragon. This had been difficult so far because dragons aren't famous for their ability to stay still and be reasoned with. If his plan failed then he either died or they gave up and moved on. Hermione had found a lot of information on dragons and Ron had found the dragons for them, it was now all up to Harry to 'Tame it'.

Harry leant forward wrapping the rope round his wrists tight, it was going to be a massive jolt and his heart was beating a million miles an hour.

"Ok hear it goes then…"

He whispered to himself.

He released time and the feeling was like being shot in the chest, Harry was prepared but obviously not prepared enough Harry's legs were flung out behind him from the speed, and he screamed as both his shoulders dislocated from the force. But Harry remained tied to the dragon which was now climbing fast higher and higher it knew Harry was there and wanted him off now. Harry was so overcome by the tearing pain he was struggling to stay conscious. The dragon climbed high and then there was a sickening hovering moment when the dragon peaked Harry managed to drop down and get his legs round the dragons massive neck again. But this was not going to help him much for the dragons next trick. The dragon dropped straight down vertical spiralling as it went. Harry's pain was indescribable and the G-forces were making him faint, he couldn't breath from the speed of the passing air, but he remained tied on by his limp dislocated arms the dragon scooped up its decent right at the last second before hitting the ground but Harry didn't even notice through the blinding state and situation he was now in. The dragon was again whipping through the valley with astonishing speed. Ron and Hermione were stood on a rocky out crop towards the top of the valley where they could watch.

"Do you think it's meant to be doing that?"

Said Ron in a rather amused manner

"No I defiantly do not Ron! Oh god I hope he is alright"

Said Hermione biting her nails

"bahhh its ok come on Harry knows what he is doing its fine I'm sure, though that's worrying me a little?"

Ron had spotted that the dragon was now heading for a some rocky cliffs at the mouth of the valley Harry and the dragon were just about to disappear out of site, Ron lunged over and grabbed Hermione's hand and with a sharp pop they were now at the base of the cliff just in time to see the dragon whip round the corner over their heads. And to their horror it flew straight in to the cliff scraping its back on the rock face. Hermione hid her face in Ron's shoulder, as she was sure that Harry had now been crushed to tiny bits.

But Harry had been lucky enough to slip round under the dragon's neck and was missing the crushing power of the dragon against the rock face. Harry could hardly breath he was in so much pain and co confused

" Why the fuck had he ever thought that this was a god idea! I bet Voldermort would have a much easier way of doing this!"

Harry was just on the verge of passing out when he pulled himself together, the thing he wanted most, was for this to stop, and the only way to do that was to do the job he had gone there to do. He focused his mind and could practically feel the energy reverberating round him as he tried to penetrate the dragon's thick hide and skull

"Please stop! Please stop I just want to talk"

But then with more force than Harry had ever felt boomed the words

"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"

Harry was taken a back but tried again.

"Please I just want to help you, and I need your help please!"

Harry was pushing his thoughts forwards with such feeling but all he could find in the dragons mind was fire and anger.

" DO NOT NEED YOU, DON'T NEED ANYONE!"

Harry was frustrated he didn't know what to do, and so he pulled forwards an image to show the dragon. The dragon was flying up side down dipping down and clipping the trees as Harry swung back round underneath the dragon's neck but Harry was to focused to notice now. Harry pushed the image forward into the dragons mind. The images showed young female dragons being caught in nets by death eaters and ministry men, then thrown in the sea with steam irrupting from them and the sea bubbling and boiling around them till almost drowned, Harry could feel the hurt that this was causing the dragon but he had no choice but to continue he needed this dragons help and if lying was the only way to do it then so be it. Harry showed the young dragons being nailed down through their wings with large wooden stakes screaming in pain, and as the half drowned dragons limply tried to fight, death eaters cut out the dragons teeth and slit their throats draining the blood from the body to make powerful potions in huge quantities. Some of the larger scales where ripped off the dragon's backs using axes ready to be ground down and used as under robe body armour. The more of this horrific scene Harry pushed through the easier it became and the more the dragon accepted the thoughts. The dragon's flying pace had slowed and it was now elegantly gliding through the valley. But the more the dragon took the more pain Harry could feel he was causing the dragon, he could almost feel the dragon's mighty heart breaking. The dragon landed clumsily on a grassy hilltop peering over the edge.

" I am so sorry"

As Harry thought this he pulled the images away, to find that the fire and anger that had once filled the dragons head had relieved, the feeling that was left was like a bottomless ocean filled with memory.

"You would help me save my kind from these dragon slayers in silver masks?"

The dragon's thoughts floated into Harry's mind. It was not like occlumency he had experienced before it was smoother and softer but at the same time more free and so much more difficult to maintain.

"I will do everything in my power to help you get your revenge, we want the same things as you. Join me and we will regain your honour"

There was silence in the dragons mind for a moment; Harry began as best he could to gently unravel the ropes from round his arms. As soon as he had done so he quickly apperated to stand beside the dragon, Harry was careful to show as little pain as possible to the dragon he didn't not want to appear weak, and so he mimicked the dragons position standing staring out into the valley.

They stood for some time two lonely figures against the bright sky beyond them. Harry didn't want to disturb the dragons thinking. Harry had not thought about how he would call upon the dragon as he did even know if occlumency would work at a short distance, all he knew is that he defiantly couldn't maintain it over half of the globe.

The dragon broke the silence,

"When you have need of me my lord… I shall come to you"

Then the dragon elegantly, silently, and effortlessly tipped its self off the edge of the cliff, then diving down and spreading its wings it glided gracefully away down the valley, its dark wings looked like they shimmered in the growing sunlight.

Harry waited till the dragon was out of sight and dropped to his knees squinting and wincing holding back the tears, his arms felt ready to drop off. A sharp snap came from next to him and Hermione and Ron had appeared on the ledge next to him.

"Oh Harry!"

Shrieked Hermione as she rushed over dropping to her knees in front of him going to grab his shoulders to support him

"AHHH!"

Yelled Harry as Hermione grabbed his arms

"Oh Harry I'm sorry, I'm sorry!… Ron help me!"

Ron knelt at Harry's side and looked through Harry's skin and clothes to see the dislocated joints,

"Dislocated shoulders"

He said in a serious doctors voice, Hermione pulled out her wand and looked Harry in the eye and said.

"Harry…. I'm really sorry about this"

"About what?… What are you going to…"

But before Harry could finish his sentence

"loqentium!"

Said Hermione doing a complicated figure-of-8 movement with her wand, Harry's shoulders snapped back into place and he yelled in pain so loudly that it echoed off the stony walls of the valley below them.

Ron stood up with a slightly amused and sadistic grin on his face

"Lovely job!"

He turned and sat down the other side of Harry and Hermione shuffled round to Harry's other side.

"Like I say… sorry about that"

Said Hermione very apologetically

"That's ok thank very much any way"

Said Harry in an awkward and pained way. There was a short silence while they looked out into the empty valley

"So I'm guessing that the big pretty dragon is not added to our friends list then? Coz' that didn't look like it went all that well?

Said Ron

"Oh no it did go very well!… well kinda? Would have preferred not to half tear my arms off but there you go. He says when I have need of him he will come to me apparently."

Said Harry in a positive way

"Wow that's awesome!"

Said Hermione beaming

"Hang on a minute… how will he know when you ' have need of him'? Its not like we can use a dog whistle to call him over is it?"

Said Ron sarcastically

"I don't know, he's a dragon maybe he will just …. Know?"

Said Harry vaguely

"How did you convince him"

Asked Hermione. Harry looked at her with a sad look on his face. They had travelled to many places they knew were rich in dragons and had found that death eaters had beaten them to almost all of them. Sometimes finding nothing more than carcases plucked of their scaled and teeth and drained dry of every drop of blood. It was an image of such cruelty that really stuck in Harry's mind.

" I showed him what we found in Germany… what the death eaters have been doing to all the others"

There was a silence among them while they all remembered what they had seen, it had never been said but Hermione assumed that Harry would not show the dragon that as it would be so cruel.

"Poor dragon"

Said Hermione quietly, and they all stayed sat on the ledge thinking to them selves

'yes poor dragon'


	35. Chapter 35 No options left but one

Chapter 34

The sun was rising over the sea, it was mid January and the golden glow of sunlight was starting to return to the air. A brisk breeze was combing through the grass outside Shell cottage, as the land was starting to show signs of being half way out of the darkness of winter.

Despite the early morning gloom the windows of shell cottage were all glowing warmly through the sea mist. The front door opened and a tall figure walked out, he got to the end of the path and stopped, hesitating for a second as if he had seen something in the mist. The figure looked from side to side but then appirated with a sharp crack that was muffled by the water hanging in the air.

The atmosphere was surprisingly relaxed, given that a man had died on the floor of the kitchen in Shell Cottage only a couple of weeks before. Ginny was sitting at the table with Fleur as they tucked into a continental breakfast. Ginny was now very large and not very menuverable at all. Her long walks had become short walks round the front garden. Ginny was sorry that it was winter; she would have loved to be able to do some gardening as a payment to Fleur.

" I 'ave to go now Ginny, will you be alright 'ere alone today?"

Fleur had become increasingly worried about the infection that was growing from the wound in Ginny's side, despite their best efforts they had been able to do little to stop the spread.

"I will be fine. You have a lot of people to care for, you have to go and make other people better I will be able to amuse myself here"

Fleur forced a smile. Ginny knew that the number of patients at St Mungos were now many more than the hospital could really cope with and occasionally they were being invaded by men from the ministry who were putting very sick or injured people under arrest and taking them away. Fleur had been very upset because she knew that leaving the hospital was a death sentence for nearly all of them, but they could not resist or none of the patients they were caring for would survive.

Fleur left the house in her normally elegant fashion. Leaving Ginny alone in the cottage. Ginny felt very much like a spare part to the household. She wished there was something she could do, some goal she could work towards. Most expectant mothers would be decorating a nursery or knitting hats and booties. Ginny couldn't knit. Her mother had tried to teach her several times but it was no good she just ended up with a horrible knotted mess. And she was so uncertain about the future that she had nothing she could prepare. But Ginny had been sneakily preparing something.

Ginny cleared up after her breakfast and went out to the little workshop that was outside the back of the cottage. It was mostly glass like a greenhouse so it was very cold inside. Ginny had to wear a lot of layers to keep warm. Molly had given Ginny a very large thick grey knitted cardigan for Christmas that was more like a coat to be fair. But Ginny didn't care it was perfect and lovely and stretchy to fit over her bump. The workshop was grey inside and covered in cobwebs but in the centre was her project that she had been making. During all of Ginny's walks she had been gathering small bits of driftwood and shells. At the time she didn't know what she was going to do with them, they were just pretty, but now it seemed obvious. Over the past few weeks she had been carefully hammering and gluing the pieces of wood together to make the basic form of a crib. It had to be much larger than a normal crib as it had to fit 2 babies in it. It curved elegantly at the sides as the dark twitted wood was carefully slotted together. Ginny had never been very artistic but this was something that she really loved doing it was therapeutic.

The day went on and Ginny had made a lot of progress on her construction she had made it very generous it was nearly 3 feet wide to allow plenty of space for them. But she began to feel tired and so she hobbled back inside the cottage.

Ginny was making herself a sandwich when she heard a large crack outside, was it thunder? Her heart leapt into her mouth when she realised someone had appirated to outside the house, no one was due home? Ginny rushed to the side of the window to peep past the curtain. Her adrenaline was making her move as fast as a normal sized person she peered past the curtain and saw a tall dark figure crouched down in the front garden. Ginny was horrified. The cottage was under so many protective spells that it would be nearly impossible for anyone to get through who wasn't welcome so this person had to have strong magic and be here with determination. Her blood ran cold and her mouth went dry. Ginny turned her back, and slowly slid her shoulders down the cupboards in the kitchen so that she was sitting on the floor hidden from view. The stranger was going to be trying to come though the front door any second. She was shaking all over but she reached her hand inside her pocket and pulled out her wand. She closed her eyes, she thought back to the day she found out she was pregnant, she was feeling as equally terrified as she did then. She squeezed her eyes shut and thought furiously about what curse she would use on them when they came through the door.

She could hear the door handle rattling, and time seemed to slow for her, she stopped breathing and she was sure her heart stopped beating as well, she was prepared to kill this person to protect her family?

"Ginny?"

Bill's voice came though the door as it opened just a crack. The large lump in Ginny's throat seemed to drop into her stomach suddenly but the she felt very cross with Bill, what was he thinking he almost gave her a heart attack!

"Bill?… what the hell! I nearly died of fright! I was about to try and blow your head off! What the hell are you doing here?"

Then Ginny got a chance to really look at him, his cloak was ripped in several places and he was clutching his arm

"Bill?"

Ginny was now just as worried as she had been before he come though the door and her blood ran cold again, Bill was slipping his cloak off his shoulders and Ginny did her best to leap to her feet but it ended up as more of a slow struggle. She went to Bill to help him. He had a large wound on his arm and shoulder that was bleeding furiously.

"Oh Bill what happened tell me!"

Bill looked up at Ginny and she was shocked to see that he was grinning? He must be hysterical Ginny thought to herself.

" Harry Potter has just demolished Gringots on the back of a blind albino dragon"

He laughed as he spoke still clutching his arm

"WHAT?"

Ginny couldn't quite work out what he had just said.

"The bottom vaults of Gringots are guarded by a dragon. I had never seen it myself and to be honest I wondered if it were just scare tactics to put off thieves. But Belatirx Lestrange came in today and wanted to get into her vault. I knew there was something not right because she hasn't been seen in Diagon Ally for a few weeks. And then a few minutes later Harry, Ron and Hermione were demolishing Gringots from the ground upwards riding on the back of a massive dragon."

Ginny didn't know what to say to that, she knew that the missions Harry was performing were very dangerous but she didn't realise quite how dangerous they had clearly become.

"So how did this happen"

Ginny said gesturing to Bill's arm. She could now see that it was cut very deeply in several places she pulled a chair out from the kitchen table for him.

"Well as soon as they had gone which only took seconds, all hell broke loose trying to find the person or goblin who had let them in. ministry men seemed to come out of nowhere and started firing curses all over the place it was carnage. I managed to slip away but I got this on my way out. OUCH!"

Ginny was very gently trying to dab the wound with 'Helga's healing potion' but it wasn't really working it was reducing the bleeding but it wasn't really healing it enough, the potion was really meant for paper cuts and small grazes but his were multiple gashes 4 inches deep and 3 inches wide it looked like Bill had had an argument with a circular saw.

"Bill this isn't working, you need more than this?"

Ginny was worried the cut was so deep

"Fleur will be home soon and she can see to it"

Bill groaned

"No she can't? She is a nurse not a healer, and we are putting far too much pressure on her as it is? You need to get to a proper healer now."

Bill stood up suddenly.

"No….. we will just wait. If I go to St Mungos then I am just going to end up on the list of the missing and I am no use to anyone then. I fled the scene Gin they are bound to come looking for me, and you can't apperate it could kill you and the babies"

Ginny couldn't argue, she grabbed towels and anything absorbent and wrapped it tightly round his arm as he slumped dizzily back onto his chair. It was going to be hours before Fleur was home. Ginny went and looked though the books in the living room and the boxes of medical supplies that Fleur kept under the sink in the kitchen but she couldn't find anything better than what she was already doing. After about an hour of looking Bill was getting dangerously pale. Ginny was still furiously and franticly looking for something she could use to help but this was no ordinary wound, usual healing magic was not working on it. Ginny was in the living room flicking though the pages of a book called "Wild Herbs And Their Magical Properties" furiously looking for the words 'wound healing' when she heard a thud from the kitchen. She dashed tough to find that Bill had passed out and fallen off his chair onto the stone floor. Ginny managed to roll him over but the towel wrapped around his arm was soaking, there had to be half his blood in that one towel.

Ginny was now frantic, what could she do? She had done everything she could nothing had worked and she couldn't even call for help she was all on her own and her brother was going to die here in her arms if she didn't do something now. She was now totally frantic and panicked, she rushed outside the front door, vainly hoping that Fleur would have heard about Gringots and be rushing home right now, tears were streaming down Ginny's face and she was murmuring fast to herself shaking all over with fear. The fog outside was thick and cold so she looked around blindly hoping that somehow help would just appear out of the mist.

"HELP!…. help me please"

She managed to stammer though sobs. She stood out there in the cold still looking around wildly.

Then she caught a glimpse of some movement in the mist, had her prayers been answered? Had help come? She stumbled forwards towards it hoping to see it more clearly. But then she realised the figure was not a man, not even a person. It was a creature the same colour and texture as the ground, and it stood up out of the grass. Ginny was terrified, the creature let out a very deep reverberating rumble. Ginny thought for just a second then she turned back towards the house and ran to the door as quickly as she could. She could hear that it was running after her but she managed to slam the front door behind her and lock it, whatever it was must have been massive she felt the house shake as whatever it was hit the door and ran its claws all over it. Ginny ran and knelt beside unconscious Bill she closed her eyes there was nothing more she could do, any second that thing was going to come though the door and kill them both, but as quickly as the creature had pounced, the sound disappeared.

Ginny opened her eyes but she was rooted to she spot with fear and panic. She looked down at Bill who was lying in a pool of his own blood, Ginny knew she now had no choice she had to apperate them to St Mungos and with a sickening crack they disappeared leaving just a pool of blood on the kitchen floor and a mysterious grassy figure hunched up, stalking away into the sea mist


End file.
